Why Green Fuel Could Make Whisky Even More Popular

The amber dew has never lacked for popularity as a tipple, which is why so
many people have found* cask whisky investment* a highly profitable
exercise. But now its value might be boosted even more by
reputation-enhancing environmental benefits.

While some industries might be accused of ‘greenwashing’, the whisky sector
is pioneering some notable developments. Among these, the Glenfidditch
distillery has found a way to recycle by-product from the distilling
process and re-use it as motor fuel.

Using what it calls a “unique technology” developed by parent company
William Grant and Sons, the distillery at Dufftown has converted its waste
into an ultra-low carbon gas, which produces extremely low emissions. This
is being used to power specially converted company trucks.

Distilleries director for William Grant and Sons Stuart Watts said it has
taken ten years for the distillery to complete the process of recycling all
its residues on site, and then manage to turn that into a biogas that could
be used for vehicle fuel.

He added: “Each truck will displace up to 250 tonnes of CO2e annually,
which has the same environmental benefit as planting up to 4,000 trees
every year – the equivalent of displacing natural gas, a fossil fuel, from
112 households.”

Glenfidditch noted that the initiative is in line with wider attempts by
the industry to become greener. These include the Scotch Whisky Association
roadmap to meet the targets stipulated in the United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goals.

Another step that may have a major positive impact on the popularity and
value of Scotch is whisky tourism.

Johnnie Walker has set out to expand this sector with its new visitor
centre in Edinburgh, which is set to open next month.

The Times described the new centre, located on Princes Street in the West
End, as being whisky’s equivalent of the Guinness Brewhouse in Dublin,
offering a similar immersive tour into the history and production methods
used in distilling.