It was first given to talented young players; and was later the scholarship also extended to coaches seeking development.
The scholarship is named after the former Scotland international rugby union player John Macphail, who died in 2004.
The Edrington Group is a private company, known for its whiskies like The Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark and The Macallan,[2] and is owned by the Robertson Trust.
The trust today is a charity in Scotland that gives grants to alleviate poverty and trauma.
In addition, the Robertson Trust also provide monies for young people to help them progress in their career, and to mitigate financial barriers.