MEMBERS of the public were granted unique access to one of the whisky industry's most prized collections as part of International Scotch Day.

The Diageo Archive in Menstrie boasts a massive liquid library complete with thousands of rare bottles as well as a treasury of irreplaceable historical artefacts.

Designed to be a "living resource" the vault contains more than half a million items of heritage, with some dating back hundreds of years.

There are around 10,000 bottles, the oldest made in the 1880s, with invaluable paper documents dating back to around the time of Johnnie Walker himself.

Some of the items would be expected to fetch a six-figure sum at auction, while others are simply worth more than money.

The archive had never been opened to the public at large before Friday, with drinks enthusiasts coming from all over to take a little peek into the industry's proud past.

Christine McCafferty, archive manager, said: "We were really pleased to celebrate the day with so many Scotch whisky lovers, and it was nice to share with them some of the gems we have here in the archive."