Whisky News

Green is the new black - Betting on a more sustainable future

Johnnie Walker

The famous whisky brand Johnnie Walker, owned by Diageo, has been focusing on creating a whisky bottle made 100% PET-free wood pulp for a while now.

Initially expected to be ready in 2021, and after several delays to have it for purchase "soon," the company revealed the bottle made entirely from wood pulp this year, but it is not expected to be released until 2023.

"It feels fitting that we should launch it with Johnnie Walker, a brand that has often led the way in innovation throughout its 200 years existence," Ewan Andrew, chief sustainability officer at Diageo, said in a statement.

This comes as no surprise as many distilleries have already begun adopting more sustainable practices in production as well.

Scotch Whisky Association (SWA)

In January 2021, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) unveiled a new Sustainability Strategy that sees the industry committing to reaching net-zero emissions in its operations by 2040.

Their first Environmental Strategy, launched in 2009, has seen the Scotch industry reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 34%, increase its use of non-fossil fuel sources to 28%, and use water more efficiently. Remarkably, only 1% of waste from Scotch production is now sent to landfills, a reduction of 75% since 2016.

Beam Suntory

As part of a $400 million investment, Jim Beam’s Booker Noe distillery in Boston, will increase capacity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50%.

The expansion will increase capacity by 50 percent, while reducing the distillery’s greenhouse gas emissions by the same percentage using anaerobic digestors that will produce renewable natural gas to power the facility.

The project is expected to be completed in 2024, with the Booker Noe distillery being 65% powered by renewable natural gas and 35% by fossil-based natural gas.

“We are committed to making a difference by investing in cleaner technologies and systems, and the expansion and significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from this project does just that with our biggest brand,” said Beam Suntory President and CEO Albert Baladi.