AN Edinburgh-based whisky firm has launched a blend that combines Scotch with Australian spirit supported by pioneering blockchain technology.

The Brisbane from Fusion Whisky celebrates the role of the Scot who founded the city that bears his name.

The drink combines Scotch from the Glen Garioch and Glen Grant distilleries with five-year-old whisky produced by Starward in Melbourne.

Fusion said the whisky is the first to use blockchain technology to demonstrate its provenance and authenticity. Buyers will be able to scan codes on bottles to check the origins of the spirits they contain.

The whisky was blended by Alex Bruce of the Fife-based Adelphi Distillery Company, who described it as ground-breaking.

The Brisbane has been launched with a recommended retail price of £150 per bottle.

Mr Bruce said Fusion and Adelphi were proud to be honouring a great Scot who left a lasting legacy in Australia.

Born in Largs in 1773, Thomas Makdougall Brisbane served with distinction in the British army before being appointed governor of New South Wales in 1820.

Credited with improving conditions for colonists in New South Wales, the astronomy enthusiast returned to Scotland in 1826.

Fusion and Adelphi previously launched The Glover blend of Scotch and Japanese whisky, This was named after Scot Thomas Blake Glover, who played an important part in Japan’s industrialization process.