In the Old Smokehouse in Campbeltown, one of the very last of Scotland’s traditional kipper houses, Archie MacMillan keeps the Celtic traditions, skills and local knowledge alive with his Original Kintyre Kippers.

The kilns may be new and fully compliant with EU regulations, but the age old methods remain the same, according to MacMillan. ‘We only source the very finest Scottish herring, bought at their best during the season when the fat content is just right, and we use no dyes or additives,’ he says.

The fish are hand-split, cured using an age-old recipe, then hung on kipper hooks prior to smoking over oak chippings made from local whisky barrels. The gentle smoking process takes around seven hours, before the kippers are ready for dispatch to customers including Loch Fyne Oysters, local hotels, restaurants and wholesalers. MacMillan also sells them at the twice-monthly farmers’ market in the West End of Glasgow.

● MacMillan Foods are at the Old Smokehouse, Campbeltown, 01586 553580