The Morrison Bowmore brand, which claims to be the oldest distillery on the Scottish island, says the programme is an educational tool for the trade and ultimately consumers.

Featuring what are described as hand-crafted water dispensing units, the intention is to explain that a little bit of water brings Bowmore to “another level of sensory (smell, sight) and gustatory (taste) experiences”.

The programme is being rolled out in North America, Asia and the UK.

The centerpiece is the copper water dispenser which comes in two versions: the Water Safe which looks like a spirits safe in a distillery and the quirky Tilter which looks like a urn or a carafe mounted on a copper stand and tilts on an axis allowing it to dispense on two sides.

Bowmore marketing manager Cara Laing says: “We are aware of the great debate surrounding the addition of water to whisky and wanted to tackle it head on.

“We created these innovative water dispensers in the hope people will discover for themselves their favourite way to enjoy a single malt, with or without water,” says Laing.