It matters where whisky is made: distilleries highlight the influence of local climate, sea air, soil and terrain. But at the heart of the production process are the cells of yeast, which at the start would have been wild yeasts appearing naturally. Could they too have an effect on flavour and aroma? And could that give us clues to the fermentation environment of early types of Scotch whisky?

Dr Annie Hill of Heriot-Watt University describes her studies at places including Lindores Abbey, the possible home for the first whisky production.

Hosted by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling

You can watch this free event from here, through the YouTube link below, or if you’d like to join questions and discussion, you can also go to the Science Festival’s YouTube channel