April 29th 1922 £60,000 Damage at Highland Distillery

The Strathern Herald's edition from Saturday, 29th April 1922 presents a concise account of the catastrophic fire that engulfed Millburn distillery on Wednesday, 26th.

A wayward spark igniting within the grist mill is thought to have been the catalyst for the devastating explosion and ensuing inferno, which inflicted approximately £60,000 in destruction upon the distillery. This figure differs notably from the Nairnshire Telegraph's assessment, which had estimated the losses at £40,000.

Translated into today's currency, this represents just beyond £4.4 million - a substantial financial blow for any distillery. Yet fortune smiled upon the operation, as the warehouses miraculously escaped the flames, preserving their inventory valued at £70,000, equivalent to just over £5.1 million in modern terms.

As our investigation progresses, we would anticipate discovering additional detailed accounts and archival records that will shed light on this event, with Charles C. Doig employed to oversee the restoration of Millburn later that year.