Whisky may not come top of mind when you think of an organic product. Perhaps because the farming element of whisky production is not thought about as much as that of a carrot or the flour which goes into a loaf of bread. Fortunately for the environment, there are a few whisky distilleries producing organic spirit, with us being one of them of course - as everything we produce at Nc’nean is certified organic.
This barley must be grown with no help from artificial fertilisers or pesticides, and must be certified organic by one of the eight DEFRA approved organic certification bodies in the UK. Instead of relying on artificial help (which contains a lot of chemicals), our farmers use natural fertilisers like livestock manure. They also practice regenerative agriculture to actively improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
Farming organically also protects water quality, enhances the habitats of pollinators, and ensures that soils remain rich and healthy for generations to come.
WHY DO WE CHOOSE TO BE ORGANIC?
We choose to use organic barley for the benefit of soil health, protecting water quality, and preserving flora and fauna. However, an extra bonus that we have also discovered is that the healthier soils mean better quality grains, giving depth of flavour and a lovely creamy texture to our whisky. So, if you taste our whisky alongside other organic whiskies, you should be able to see a similar quality!
HOW COMMON IS ORGANIC WHISKY IN SCOTLAND?
Organic whisky is still relatively rare in the Scotch industry. The traditional emphasis on yield and efficiency means that many distilleries still rely on conventional agriculture. But more and more distilleries are opting for organic barley.
But there are a few distilleries in Scotland who have chosen to use organic barley in some releases, including Bruichladdich and Benromach, though Nc’nean is still the only distillery that chooses to produce everything organically.
THE COST OF ORGANIC
At Nc’nean our range is fully organic and we hope that other distilleries will soon be the same. It does add a cost of about £3 to each bottle of our whisky because of the higher cost of the barley and also the cost of the extra admin, but it is a cost that consumers are increasingly willing to pay.
To read more about what we are doing to reduce our environmental impact, you can read our latest sustainability and impact report here.