Scotland rugby star Finn Russell marked his first year as brand ambassador for Fife-based whisky cask dealership firm Spiritfilled with a special Q&A session at the Caledonian Club in London.

More than 70 specially invited guests attended the exclusive function and listened to the 87-times capped internationalist reflect on his interest in whisky, his visit to Spiritfilled’s Braeside Bond in Newburgh, and his glittering rugby career, he is about to set off on his third tour with the British and Irish Lions with Australia lying in wait Down Under.

Discussing Spiritfilled, which is also an independent bottler under its Mythical Beasts label, Russell, who helped guide Bath to an historic Premiership title on Saturday, said: “Whisky is close to your heart when you’re from Scotland. I have a few casks for myself and a couple for my daughters.

Cask investment is a much more modern method of investing, compared to stocks and shares or property. I have a few things going on but for me it’s about diversifying my portfolio. The more avenues I can explore, the better idea I will get about what I want to do after rugby, although I’m not nearly at that stage yet!”

He added: “The Spiritfilled relationship is going really well. It’s an exciting time for the guys in terms of the bond, how popular it is becoming and how they store the casks. But it’s not just that, they can host experiences there as well with fishing and shooting so it can be a very personal experience visiting your cask as you can get to touch, smell and taste your whisky along with everything else.”

The evening saw guests enjoy a series of whisky tastings, while there was one lucky winner of a Finn Russell-signed Lions jersey.

Spiritfilled chief executive Russell Spratley said: “I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Finn Russell for coming along and sharing his experiences with us. It was a special occasion for Spiritfilled, with guests and investors from around the world attending.”