Crafting spirits is an art that’s deeply rooted in honouring the earth: The grains, fruits, and botanicals that are fermented and distilled to produce liquor have always been carefully sourced for their purity, essence and flavour. It’s a process that respects the natural ingredients and the environment they come from, which may be why today’s spirit-makers around the world are increasingly turning towards sustainability as a central tenet of their approach. In addition to implementing standard measures like water recycling systems and solar power, brands are dedicating themselves to their immediate surroundings in innovative ways: tequila master distillers in Oaxaca, Mexico, are working to protect local bat populations; and vodka distillers in Iceland are powering their operations with renewable geothermal energy from local volcanoes. Every type of liquor is being approached in a new way, and these products speak to the results.
Gins
Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin
Bombay Sapphire’s sustainable distillery in the English countryside runs on renewable energy, and they were the first global gin to use 100% sustainably-sourced ingredients. ELLE Gourmet editorial director Erin McLaughlin went to Laverstoke Mill to learn about the process and see the low-impact distillery firsthand.
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Park Distillery Flora & Fauna Gin
$1 from every bottle of Park gin sold is donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The Banff distillery’s newest product is a gorgeous floral gin inspired by alpine meadows, made with eight botanicals (juniper, coriander, lemon peel, orris root, rose petals, chamomile, green cardamom and licorice root) for a fresh and herbaceous flavour.
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Gray Whale Gin
The unique Gray Whale Gin is distilled from botanicals foraged along the migratory path of the California Gray Whale, and they’ve partnered with multiple environmental advocacy organizations including Oceana and 1% for the Planet. With bright citrus notes and a collection of unique botanicals (like sea kelp and California mint). the gin is as refreshing as the brand’s ethos.
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Glendalough Wild Botanical Irish Gin
Geraldine Kavanagh – Glendalough Distillery’s full-time forager – spends the whole year sourcing wild botanicals in Ireland’s County Wicklow, using a careful and considered technique that ensures they grow back plentiful. The gorgeous bottle features a design inspired by her wicker basket at the base, with embossed botanicals climbing up the sides.
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Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
The high-tech distillery that produces Empress 1908 gin uses a closed-loop geothermal system that recaptures heat from their water to warm the nearby Sidney Pier Hotel. Their newest product is the Elderflower Rose Gin, which has an understated floral palate complemented by citrus and spice notes with a hint of sweetness.
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Georgian Bay Eco-Friendly Gin
The newest product from Georgian Bay Spirit Co. comes in a 100% recycled paperboard bottle – it’s five times lighter than a glass bottle and has a six-times-lower carbon footprint. Throw in the fact that the brand plants a tree for every bottle sold – and the gin’s fresh, botanical-forward flavour – and it’s a natural choice.
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Whiskys
Nc’nean Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Nc’Nean, distilled on the West Coast of Scotland, is a certified B Corporation – not surprising when you account for their net zero carbon emissions and waste, rainwater-recycling system and recyclable glass bottle with compostable cork. The smooth Single Malt has a unique profile, with subtle flavours of lemon posset, peach, apricot and spiced rye bread.
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Black Fox SE Eleven Single Grain Whisky
Black Fox’s Saskatchewan distillery re-uses up to 95% of the water required for their distillation process, and they also return our spent grains and fruit to their orchards and flower fields as compost fertilizer. Their Single Grain Whisky is aged in American oak barrels outdoors under the prairie sky, and the finished product is smooth and light-bodied with a fruity nose and peppery finish.
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Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate
In 2014, Glenmorangie partnered with the local Heriot-Watt University and Marine Conservation Society to launch the Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project, which aims to restore oyster reefs in the Dornoch Firth in the Scottish Highlands, where Glenmorangie is made. Their new release, the third batch of their The Cadboll Estate (named for the property where the barley is farmed) is a 15-year-old single malt with notes of hazelnut, toffee and clove.
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Waterford Biodynamic Luna 1.1 Single Malt
The world’s first biodynamic whisky came on the scene in 2021, with Waterford adapting the biodynamic farming principles growing popular in wine to their own barley operations. It’s crafted on a schedule that follows the lunar calendar, thought to showcase the shifting terroir of Ireland to its best. The whisky is vibrant and expressive, with loads of spice – think black and white pepper and cloves.
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Rums
Two Drifters Pure White Rum
In addition to their electric distillery, friendly packaging (the label is made from sugarcane fibres) and electric vehicle delivery systems, Two Drifters Rum has partnered with the carbon removal service Climeworks to ensure any emissions they produce are offset. Their Pure White Rum is clean and crisp, with flavours of vanilla, apple, white pepper and lime zest.
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Flor de Caña Eco 15
Flor de Caña rum is distilled in Nicaragua and was the first spirit in the world to be both carbon neutral and Fair Trade certified. They’ve also partnered with One Tree Planted to set a goal of planting one million new trees by 2025. The Eco 15 is 15 years old and aged in Bourbon barrels – it’s full-bodied and flavourful with a long finish.
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Montanya Oro Rum
The unique Montanya Rum is crafted high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado at a B-Corp-certified and plastic-neutral distillery. Founder and owner Karen Hoskin also advocates for gender diversity in the world of spirit-making, employing 74% female staff and partnering with organizations like Women of the Vine & Spirits. The Oro is a 1-year-aged dark rum, with prominent flavours of red chili, coffee, caramel, vanilla, pineapple and chocolate.
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Tequilas
Mijenta Tequila Reposado
Mijenta is the first certified B Corp tequila brand. The facility is fully carbon-neutral and uses a combination of materials to package the product sustainably – the Reposado bottles are recycled glass, the labels made of agave waste and boxes 100% post-consumer recycled paper. The tequila is aged up to 6 months in a blend of American white oak, French oak and French acacia casks, which produces a mature and full expression with a long finish on the palate.
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Tequila Cazadores Añejo
About 60% of the biofuel utilized in producing Tequila Cazadores is derived from spent agave fibres, while the remaining 40% is sourced from carbon-neutral renewable fuel sources such as clean waste wood, sawdust, coconut shells and tree cuttings. Their golden Añejo has notes of dried fruits, cinnamon, vanilla and oak, with a long and extra-smooth finish.
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Patrón Silver
The iconic Patrón was the first tequila distillery to install a natural gas pipeline as their main energy source, which helps reduce CO2 emissions. That’s in addition to the water recycling system that uses distillery spillage for cooling and cleaning, and the 16,000+ trees the brand has planted in their community of Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, since 2o15. Their classic silver tequila is crystal-clear, with invigorating aromas of Blue Weber agave and citrus.
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El Tesoro Blanco Tequila
El Tesoro’s master distiller, Carlos Camarena, has dedicated his distillery to a diverse collection of sustainability efforts for years now. They’ve partnered with bat conservation organizations (bats are essential for pollinating agave) and installed green infrastructure like solar panels and a water recycling system. Their Blanco is a traditional tequila with an agave-forward flavour and subtle green notes.
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Vodkas
Reyka Vodka
Reyka vodka is made in Bogarnes, Iceland, at a distillery powered entirely with renewable geothermal energy from underground volcanoes (the lava rock is also used for filtration). The water they use is glacial spring water, which runs through a 4,000 year old lava field. As the brand likes to say, “Skål (that means cheers) to that.”
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King’s Lock Craft Distillery Organic Vodka
Ontario’s King’s Lock Craft Distillery uses locally-sourced grains and corn for their spirits – and when they’re done, the grain mash residue goes back to farms for use as feed or fertilizer. Their distillery runs on renewable Bullfrog power and utilizes a water recycling system for an even lower impact. Their Organic Vodka is smooth with just a hint of corn flavour, which gives it a mild aroma and slight sweetness.
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Prairie Organic Vodka
The midwestern US distillery that produces Prairie Organic Spirits utilizes a range of techniques to lower their environmental impact, like weeding with fire (controlled prairie fires burn weeds away without the need for herbicides). Their flagship product, the Organic Vodka, has hints of melon and pear on the nose, a creamy mouthfeel on the palate and a bright, smooth finish.
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Mezcals
Sombra Joven Mezcal
Going by the motto “more than mezcal,” the Sombra distillery in Oaxaca is a member of 1% For The Planet, meaning they donate at least 1% of sales to certified environmental charities and local educational initiatives. They also use their spent agave fibres and liquid byproduct waste to create bricks which are then used to build homes in villages impacted by earthquakes. The Sombra Joven is spicy and fruity with notes of citrus and a hint of smoke – smooth and warming on the palate with a clean and fruit-forward finish.
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Del Maguey Vida Mezcal
Del Maguey is so committed to sustainability that they have a dedicated blog just to track the distillery’s efforts and progress – such as their public workshops on upcycling agave waste, beekeeping programs and healthcare initiatives for farmers. Their medium-bodied, earthy mezcal has aromas and flavours of fig, citrus, granite, honey and green herbs, with a long and balanced finish.
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Brandy
Rémy Martin Louis XIII Cognac
For a truly sustainable splurge, the OTT Rémy Martin Louis XIII Cognac is the way to go (learn why one pro finds it swoon-worthy here). Rémy Martin has a broad portfolio of sustainability initiatives, including a new project to to revive the art of making oak tierçons (the barrels in which some of the spirits are aged). The project is supported by the local forestry department as a significant measure in ensuring a sustainable future for France’s oak trees and forests. It comes in a gorgeous Baccarat crystal decanter and presentation case, each one unique.
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Liqueur
Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur
Wayward Distillery is on a mission to save BC’s bees: They donate 1% of all sales to Pollinator Partnership Canada, where they go towards community programs, stewardship certifications and school-based garden projects. Their Polish-style Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur is a unique blend of toasted honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, raw vanilla and citrus peel. As they put it: “Once you have opened this, you won’t be able to stop and we’re sorry.”
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Sirene Chocolate Liqueur
On Vancouver Island, Sheringham Distillery holds an impressive number of sustainability certifications, including ones from BC Green Business and the oceans-focused Surfrider Foundation. They’re also a signatory of The Climate Pledge and are working towards their dual goals of carbon neutrality and Certified B status. Their Sirene Chocolate Liqueur was created in collaboration with Victoria’s Sirene Chocolate and is a layered, complex sipper with notes of fruit, citrus, fudge and leather.
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Amarula Cream
Amarula cream liquor – named for the marula trees grow which across Africa’s subequatorial plains and produce the fruit used to make it – works with the HERD Trust, South Africa’s first elephant orphanage, to protect local wildlife populations. They also helped establish a local women’s empowerment project: the Handwork Hub is a collective of over 30 local women who produce the tassels on the necks of the bottles. Their new vegan “cream-like liquor” blends the marula tree fruit with coconut milk for a distinct and indulgent bevvy.
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Vodkow Sunshine Orange Cream
Vodkow calls itself “the future of cream liquor” – and with good reason. The Ottawa-area “dairy distillery” developed a technology that transforms a dairy byproduct called milk permeate into carbon-neutral vodka, then used to create a range of flavoured cream liquors. The Sunshine Orange Cream is exclusively available in the spring and summer months, and tastes like an orange creamsicle with an alcoholic kick.
