The fine spirits we enjoy today are the result of centuries of experimentation and shared knowledge. The art of distillation originated organically in several parts of the globe.
In Mexico, small communities used the abundant agave to make tequila. In Scotland, traveling monks utilized fields of barley for malt whisky. For hundreds of years, these processes were little more than cottage industries, serving the local communities around them. But, as demand exploded, so did production.
Landscapes were transformed and overexploited, and coal-powered distilleries brought pollution to untouched rural areas. But from whisky to rum, the spirits industry has been quick to learn from its mistakes and is now at the forefront of the push towards sustainable production. With the climate changing at pace, these masters of their craft have supercharged their way to a greener future.
5 Eco-friendly and Sustainable Whisky, Gin, Vodka and Rum Spirits for World Earth Day
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The Macallan
Located in Speyside, the spiritual home of Scotch, The Macallan distillery has experienced climate change firsthand. Winters in this remote region of Scotland are noticeably warmer and wetter, while summers are hotter and drier. These extremes are no good for aging whisky, which requires cool and consistent temperatures. A good cask of Macallan can take over 40 years to reach its peak, so the distillery is naturally focused on the long term.
When the company decided to build a new site in 2012, it took the opportunity to become more sympathetic to the Scottish countryside. The distillery was designed to reflect the natural rhythm of Speyside’s rolling hills and minimize its visual impact, while production took on a ‘closed loop’ system, where boilers are powered by biomass, and excess heat is diverted to warm the visitors’ center. The result? Despite the vast increase in size, the new distillery uses less energy per liter of alcohol produced than its predecessor.
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Flor de Caña
Located at the base of Nicaragua’s most active volcano, Flor de Caña has been using 100% renewable energy for over a decade to produce some of the world’s finest rum. In fact the family-run production was the first spirit brand to become carbon-neutral and Fair Trade certified. The distillery even captures some of the CO2 emissions caused by fermentation, and as the company has planted more than 50,000 trees every year since 2005, it has moved into the realm of carbon-negative status.
This level of care for the environment is captured in its award-winning rums — the pinnacle of which is the 35-year-old V Generaciones. The bottle top is crafted from volcanic rock, and the decanter features signatures of the five generations behind the company. The rum is aged in white oak barrels in tropical temperatures and humidity, so it matures more quickly, which imbues it with a level of intensity unlike many other spirits of the same age.
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Brora
Sustainability might feel like a new buzzword, but Brora is a historic name in single malt Scotch whisky. The Sutherland-based distillery was originally founded by the Marquess of Stafford in 1819, until 1983 when Brora closed its doors.
When it was finally reopened in 2021, following a three-year renovation, the new owners intended to keep the classic highland smokiness and character rarely found in modern whiskies, but bring the working practices into the modern day. The restored distillery now safeguards a sustainable future for Brora, with the installation of a biomass boiler powered by sustainably sourced wood chips from Northern Scotland.
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Sapling Spirits
Being based in the center of the Big Smoke hasn’t stopped Sapling Spirits’ sustainable efforts. The climate-positive company, which makes both flavored vodkas and a London dry gin, continues to source local ingredients to reduce transport emissions. The spirits are four times distilled from 100 percent British wheat and blended with charcoal-filtered, deionised water.
Even after the last drop has been enjoyed, the company offers a fully circular refill scheme, and for every bottle sold, a tree is planted – a unique code on every bottle allows you to track where. So far, the brand has planted over half a million trees, and 310,000 bottles have been saved through the refill scheme. Cheers to that.
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Nc’Nean
Every aspect of Nc’Nean’s whisky production was designed with sustainable practice in mind: the distillery runs entirely on renewable energy; recycles almost all waste products (in fact, it was the first in the UK to release a bottle made from 100% recycled clear glass); and in 2020, it was the first to produce an 100% organic single malt Scotch whisky.
The latter release was not just positive for the planet, but it proved incredibly popular, with collectors clamoring to get their hands on it, and ‘Bottle No 1’ selling for a record $53,000 at auction. Although rainfall is in bountiful supply in the Scottish Highlands, the distillery still takes great care to use as little as possible, recycling the water used to cool its stills.
How we chose the best sustainable spirits in the world
Each spirit featured is independently selected by Elite Traveler’s editors and contributors, informed by first-hand experience where possible and in-depth research where not. Our curation spans the world’s most luxurious properties and in-the-know addresses, chosen for their uncompromising standards, exceptional service, and access to the extraordinary.
This article was first published in 2021 and has been revised and updated.
