Net Zero - BourbonSphere

A Sleeping Giant Awakens at Port Ellen

For 41 years, the Port Ellen Distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Islay sat silent. Last month, a multi-million dollar restoration of the distillery was completed… Read More

For 41 years, the Port Ellen Distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Islay sat silent. Last month, a multi-million dollar restoration of the distillery was completed when the first spirit flowed at Port Ellen since 1983. While it’ll be years before we see new bottlings of Port Ellen, the distillery will be open to Islay visitors from around the world. Diageo’s Ewan Gunn was on hand when that first spirit flowed. He’s been part of the revival since it was announced in 2017, and joins us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, The Demeter Collection auction raised £49,000 for the Our Whisky Foundation, while William Grant & Sons is expanding its Blended Scotch portfolio with a new range of whiskies.

Episode 1052: April 14, 2024

Image courtesy Diageo.

Scottish Government Opens Consultation on Peat Ban

February 19, 2023 – In a move that’s likely to make fans of peaty Scotch whiskies nervous, the Scottish Government has opened a public consultation period on a proposal to begin limiting the sale of peat with an eye to eventually banning peat usage outright. Most peat harvested goes to agricultural use, and the government’s proposal would begin with a ban on the sale of peat for home gardening use, followed by commercial agriculture and finally, industrial uses of peat. Environment and Land Reform Minister Mairi McAllan said in a statement that “we also want to hear views from industry Read More »

February 19, 2023 – In a move that’s likely to make fans of peaty Scotch whiskies nervous, the Scottish Government has opened a public consultation period on a proposal to begin limiting the sale of peat with an eye to eventually banning peat usage outright.

Most peat harvested goes to agricultural use, and the government’s proposal would begin with a ban on the sale of peat for home gardening use, followed by commercial agriculture and finally, industrial uses of peat. Environment and Land Reform Minister Mairi McAllan said in a statement that “we also want to hear views from industry – those who extract peat, those who supply it, garden centres and other users of peat such as the fuel and whisky industries. We welcome a wide range of views to ensure that we can set dates for ending the sale of peat that are both realistic and ambitious.”

The government has set a goal of becoming Net Zero carbon usage by 2045, and Northern Ireland, Wales, and England are considering similar bans.

The consultation period runs through May 12, with no timeline for action in the Scottish Parliament. The move follows a similar public consultation period on proposals to limit the marketing and sale of alcoholic beverages in Scotland.

Links: Scottish Government Peat Consultation