ALMOST £35,000 has been raised to support seven of Scotland’s independent whisky bars by an exclusive online auction of rare Daftmill Single Malt.

Specialists Whisky Auctioneer held the auction to mark World Whisky day last Saturday. It included seven bottles of the highly collectible Daftmill 2008 Single Bourbon Cask #68 and an exclusive tour of the Lowland distillery which is not usually open to the public.

Some 252 bids were placed from countries including Japan, the USA, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. It was the first time the rare whisky has been available for purchase. The seven bars in the Independent Whisky Bars of Scotland group will receive £4,941.53 each to support them during the Covid-19 crisis. They are The Ardshiel in Campbeltown, Artisan in Wishaw, the Bon Accord in Glasgow, Dornoch Castle Hotel in Dornoch, the Fiddlers Inn in Drumnadrochit, The Highlander Inn in Craigellachie and The Malt Room in Inverness.

Whisky Auctioneer founder Iain McClune said: “The results of this special online auction more than exceeded our expectations, with generous whisky collectors around the world embracing the rare chance to get their hands on this one-of-a-kind Daftmill expression while helping Scotland’s independent whisky bars.

“We’re very proud to do our bit and it will hopefully provide them with a boost in what are extraordinarily tough times for the on-trade sector.”