Fit for a king: Argyll pair's MBE honours

Two masters of their own arts have been recognised for their years of excellence in their respective fields, with medals from His Majesty The King.

 

Stuart Liddell, award-winning piper and pipe major at Inveraray and District Pipe Band, and Jim McEwan, master distiller and former head of production at Bruichladdich Distillery in Islay, were awarded MBEs in King Charles III's first-ever New Year Honours list.

 

Member of the Order of the British Empire, the third-highest-ranking Order of the British Empire award, Liddell received his honour for services to piping and music education through his work with young people across Argyll and Bute.

 

Under his leadership, Inveraray and District Pipe Band have achieved a number of national and international championship titles.

 

Stuart told the Advertiser: 'I was shocked and of course thrilled to receive such an honour. It took a while to believe it was real - I thought someone was at the wind up at first!

 

'I am absolutely delighted.'

 

Inveraray and District PB manager, Jim McMillan, said: 'The band are very proud of Stuart who is an excellent pipe major, as well as a top soloist.'

 

Jim McEwan, who lives in Bruichladdich village on the island known as the Queen of the Hebrides, was recognised for services to the Scotch whisky industry and to the community on Islay, across a career spanning almost 60 years - working his way up from apprentice cooper to master distiller.

 

Commenting on Argyll and Bute’s New Year Honours success, the Lord-Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute, Jane MacLeod, said: 'I am delighted that Stuart Liddell and James McEwan have been recognised in this way.

 

'Both are absolute masters of these wonderful traditional Scottish skills.

 

'Stuart Liddell has brought Inveraray and Argyll and Bute to the world’s attention with his incredible musicianship, his guidance of his community’s pipe band, and his dedication to ensuring that future generations can learn to play and love Scottish traditional music.

 

'He played a very significant role in the Platinum Jubilee both locally and worldwide, having composed the special Diu Regnare pipe tune in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which was played across the Commonwealth.

 

The lord-lieutenant continued: 'James McEwan is undoubtedly one of the world’s most outstanding experts on Islay’s magnificent whisky.

 

'He is steeped not only in knowledge and experience but in a tremendous passion for the

 

craft of distilling, incredibly committed to ensuring that the golden nectar produced in his home community is of the highest standard.

 

'Testament to this is the fact that he continued to work in local distilleries as a master distiller for some considerable time after his retirement.

 

'He has played a very significant part in making Islay whisky the world-class product that it is today.

 

'Both awards are very richly deserved and my congratulations go to Stuart and James, along with my thanks for their wonderful contributions to Argyll and Bute’s rich cultural heritage.'

 

Both Bruichladdich and Inveraray and District PB's social media accounts were inundated with messages of congratulations, from groups as varied as The Whisky Club of Edmonton, Canada, to the trad band Skerryvore, as well as dozens from friends and fellow residents in Islay and Mid Argyll.