The original idea for the show came when Sir Cameron MacKintosh's Highland Quest competition to find a new Scottish musical was launched in 2005. Whisky Kisses progressed all the way through to the final five, before being beaten by The Sundowe.

But even though it lost, Euan says the experience of taking part in the competition was of great benefit for both himself and writing partner Dave Smith.

He said: "It was amazing to get to where we did. We were relative novices at musical writing, so we were really delighted at what people who have been in the business for a long time were saying about it.

"By the time of the final week, we were mixing with actors and directors who were right at the top of their game in musical theatre, which was just absolutely amazing. It was just a fantastic experience.

"The fact is we were right up there in the final reckoning. We were just pipped at the post. There was no official second place, but by popular agreement Whisky Kisses was the runner-up in the competition."

But since the competition, the musical has undergone significant alterations on its journey to being staged.

Euan said: "There have been massive changes. There is that old adage that musicals aren't written, they're re-written.

"After the competition we basically had a full-length draft, but we went back to the drawing board and began re-writing the whole thing. It's been through various stages of development since then.

"We got a boost with money from Highland 2007 which allowed us to workshop it with professional people and hold rehearsed readings in October 2007.

"Another stage was when the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Dance musical theatre course workshopped it in 2008 and took it to the Edinburgh Fringe.

"But at each stage of this development we had to keep an eye on having a full-length piece, as at that point we'd written different lengths of show each time.

"Then in 2009 we applied for money from the Arts Council and they gave us funding for the production and tour we're doing now."

Whisky Kisses tells the story of a rundown distillery which is offering for sale its final bottle of rare 100-year-old 'Glenigma' whisky and the battle between a wealthy American and a Japanese businessman to secure it.

Euan described the musical as a fun show which is appealing to a wide range of people.

A Japanese businessman and a wealthy American battle to secure a bottle of 100-year-old 'Glenigma' in Whisky Kisses.

He said: "It is very accessible, both in its content and the age range it appeals to. It's basically suitable for anyone of upper primary school age onwards. It's just a great night's entertainment, as it's got great songs and good laughs.

"I've had a comment from an 85-year-old grandmother who was ecstatic about the show and was very pleased she went along, and also from kids of 10, 11 or 12 who have also had a good time."

The premiere of the finished show took place at the start of this month at Glenfiddich distillery and Euan says it was a strange experience for him as one of the writers.

He commented: "There's always room for improvement and you're always looking at lines being delivered and thinking 'That's not what I wrote'.

"But you can't go on refining a show forever. At some point you've got to say that's it, but there are definitely bits we could improve upon and change around a bit if we ever did it again."

Euan added that he didn't know what would happen to the show after its current run, but thinks it would be something which would appeal to people across the UK and in other parts of the world.

"I think the show could go further," he said. "I'd like to see it being done in bigger theatres and with a bigger band.

"I would really love it to be taken around our own country a bit more, and across the UK.

"I also think there's great potential for the show in the international market, particularly in Canada and the USA, as part of the action takes place in New York City. People over there are very fond of this country and of whisky and it's just a great story about Scotland and the Highlands in particular.

"It would also appeal to other expat communities in places like Australia and New Zealand and other places around the world.

"Although the show works well in village halls and some smaller theatres, we had a comment from one reviewer that it would also work well somewhere off Broadway and that's a great reaction."

* Whisky Kisses is being performed at the Spa Pavilion in Strathpeffer this Wednesday (May 19) and then at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness on May 20-21 and the Macphail Centre in Ullapool on May 22.

entertainment@highland-news.co.uk

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