Coming to Canada this Winter BY JOHANNE MCINNIS
We got to chat with the very busy Annabel Thomas, founder of Nc’nean distillery, Scotland’s most environmentally sustainable distillery. She started by sharing her AHA whisky moment: “Definitely it was a trip to Islay! I had just started to like whisky and went to do some research in Islay in the early days, when really the distillery was just a dream. I was really struck by most of the distilleries ‘doing things the way they have always been done’ and not one of them mentioned sustainability. That was when I realised things needed to change, and quickly”.
key raw material is barley. I wanted to ensure that it had as little impact on the environment as possible so sourcing organic certified barley was the best way we could find to do that. This not only encourages biodiversity on the farms, it also protects local water courses from fertiliser run off and encourages carbon sequestration in the soil”. Another accomplishment for Nc’nean is they are the first distillery with net zero carbon emissions and a zero waste to landfill policy. They achieve this by using renewable energy which is the key part of Annabel’s sustainability vision. Distilling is very energy intensive and making sure they could find a local, sustainable source of fuel was imperative. From a waste point of view, it meant being extremely clear about all the materials that come in and how they use them.
Annabel saw there was a real need for a Scottish distillery that focused on modern, forward looking spirits. Respecting the strong historical traditions but also sees the importance for the Scotch industry to move with the times and in particular become more sustainable
An example is their 100% recycled glass bottles that reduces their carbon footprint by 40%. They originally arrived individually packed in plastic bags, so they worked with the supplier and now they come in recyclable cardboard trays. Not only does the bottle sum up their sustainability commitment, its beautiful distinct shape and design reflect the natural world around the distillery and consists of various plants that are found on the grounds. Hand illustrated and printed on the bottle.
as quickly as possible. Her vision took hold on her parents farm nestled on the west coast of Scotland where they have created sustainable, skilled, long term jobs in area that did not have many to begin with. Being there can be a challenge: Remoteness - since there is only one small, narrow road to Nc’nean which is located a good distance from the nearest town. But equally, the distillery was designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, just in case the road gets blocked or something needs to be completed with urgency. Made by Nature not by rules is their simple motto and she explained why it was so important for her to have an organic product: “This was an integral part of our sustainability strategy. Whisky is obviously an agricultural product and the
Some of her inspiration for Nc’nean philosophy was based on the time she spent at Innocent Drinks, a smoothie company in the UK. She feels they were really the first business she came across that managed to put ‘doing the right thing’ (I.e. being as sustainable as possible, treating people in the right way) within a typical corporate framework, i.e. not a charity.
58
the whisky explorer magazine
WINTER 2024
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker