Engagement - local heroes

I'm currently doing the North Coast 500. for those not aware, it's a stunning tour of the North of Scotland, and very much worth checking out.

It's important to me - Scotland is where I spent the majority of my youth, went to University, and spent time in some of the most stunning scenery in the world. It's wonderful to be back, and reminds me that most of what we are looking for is right in front of us if we choose to see it; but I digress.

On the way north we called into a distillery ( well, shame not to) and I ended up talking with a number of the staff. It's a lovely place, that produces iconic whisky, and is at the hub of the (small) local community. Tight community, beautiful product that they take enormous pride in. A recipe one would think for deep engagement. Yet.

It turns out that they were bought a few years ago by a corporate. Said corporate decided that the best returns were to be made by restricting sales of its most iconic product to Asia, where the best prices could be ob…