THE COP26 BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

 THE LIMITED EDITION COP26 WHISKY

Scotch Whisky is Scotland’s national drink.  Made from just three natural ingredients – water, yeast, and cereals – it’s a spirit of unrivalled quality. Taking care of these resources, from some of the most beautiful parts of the country, is vital.

This industry, more than five centuries old, has a long tradition of collaboration. In that spirit, producers from each of Scotland’s five whisky regions came together to create a limited-edition blended whisky to mark the Conference Of The Parties COP26 conference in Glasgow in 2021.

What is the COP26 Scotch Whisky?

The COP26 limited edition Blended Scotch Whisky was blended and bottled in the host city of Glasgow in 2021, and is comprised of whiskies produced at 26 distilleries across Scotland’s five Whisky regions.

Each of the 900 hand crafted bottles was produced using sustainable materials: the bottle is made of recycled glass, stoppered with a cork made of an innovative, fully recyclable mix of wood and cork dust. The label is made from recycled plant fibres, including barley, with the carton produced from 100% recycled materials. Every bottle was carefully hand-filled just a stone’s throw from the COP26 negotiations.

Showcasing Sustainable Scotch

Through the Scotch Whisky industry’s Sustainability Strategy, producers are setting an example and moving the whole sector towards net zero by 2040. Ambitious targets have been set, new technologies are being tested, and the industry is fully committed to tackling the climate crisis and safeguarding Scotch Whisky for future generations.

By working closely with partners, regulators, innovators and other industries, Scotch Whisky can be at the heart of the blueprint to protect the unique environment that makes Scotland – and its spirit – so special.

The whisky was created to showcase the Scotch Whisky industry’s sustainability commitments. Earlier this year the industry launched its new Sustainability Strategy, which commits the sector to reaching net zero emissions by 2040, as well as to other ambitious environmental targets.

In recognition of the industry’s commitment to sustainability, the Scotch Whisky Association was confirmed as an official Race to Zero partner in October 2021 by the United Nations COP26 Climate Champions team, a global campaign which commits non-government sectors to reducing the impact of climate change.

UNDERSTANDING COP 26 BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY AND ITS MEANING

THE FINER PRINT ABOUT THE COP26 WHISKY

The Scotch Whisky industry is renowned for its collaboration, and it was no surprise to see distillers come together to create a unique whisky for the 26th annual Conference of the Parties COP26.The Scotch Whisky Association’s special bottle of blended Scotch Whisky to mark the occasion (COP26) represents the Scotch Whisky industry’s commitment to sustainability, from grain to glass.

Blended and bottled in the host city of Glasgow, the bottle comprises 97% recycled glass, with a recyclable stopper made from natural cork, recycled wood and recycled cork particles, and the label paper contains 55% post-consumer recycled fibres.

Sustainability Strategy

The industry launched its new Sustainability Strategy earlier this year, which commits the sector to reach net-zero emissions by 2040, amongst other forward-thinking environmental targets.

The strategy has grown from the foundations created across the Scotch Whisky industry over the last 10 years. Progress made over this period includes; a 22% improvement in water efficiency, a 34% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and a 75% reduction in waste to landfills.

Recognising the industry’s commitment to sustainability, the Scotch Whisky Association was recently named an official Race to Zero partner by the United Nations COP26 Climate Champions team, a worldwide campaign committing non-government sectors to diminish the impact of climate change.

Working Together to Tackle the Climate Crisis

The creation of the COP26 limited edition Scotch Whisky only goes to illustrate how well the sector is working together to tackle the climate crisis and to reduce its environmental impact. Companies are deeply committed to this endeavour – which is critical to the industry’s future – and to sharing expertise and innovation as they do so.

Based as they are across rural areas and in some of Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes, they know they have a real responsibility to the future of the communities within which they work, and to the landscapes from which they draw the wholly natural ingredients that Scotch Whisky is made from.

That is why they are investing so much in environmental sustainability, and why they are determined to reach the point where the Scotch Whisky industry and its supply chain have a net positive impact on the environment around them.

A COP26 Spokesperson said: “World leaders coming to Glasgow for COP26 will receive a warm UK welcome which will include the chance to sample a limited edition whisky blend produced sustainably in Scotland, especially for COP.”

The path towards a more sustainable future will only be achieved through collaboration across societies and sectors. The efforts of the Scotch whisky industry, which is world-renowned, to reach net zero is a great example of the change they need to see.

Eurostampa UK has printed the bottle labels in Glasgow. The paper contains 55% post-consumer recycled fibres, including leftover barley from the production process.

Beamglow in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, has made and printed the presentation carton for the COP26 whisky. The board is Crusade Ecco which is formed from 100% recycled fibres and has a very low carbon footprint.

Smurfit Kappa has made the whisky’s outer cases in Tannochside. The cases are fully recyclable, and the packaging is 100% recyclable, made from a renewable resource, playing a role in collecting used packaging, reusing over 90% of this material in a business model.

ADDENDA:

Auction Of The COP26 Bottle

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) permitted three bottles of the limited edition blended Scotch Whisky, created especially for the COP26 conference in Glasgow, to go under the hammer late November-early December 2021 in what whisky bosses are describing as a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ to own a piece of Scotch Whisky history.

The SWA partnered with Whisky Auctioneer to auction three bottles of the COP26 Blended Scotch Whisky in aid of three Scottish charities which focus on caring for the environment – the RSPB, Scottish Wildlife Trust and John Muir Trust. The funds raised by the auction will be divided evenly between the charities at the end of the year.

The COP26 limited edition blended Scotch Whisky was created by the industry to mark November’s United Nations’ 26thConference of the Parties in Glasgow. Blended and bottled in the host city, it is a limited run of just 900 bottles of 700 ml at 40% ABV, comprised of whiskies from 26 distilleries throughout Scotland’s five whisky regions. Its packaging is at the cutting edge of sustainable innovation, with the bottle itself made of 97% glass, the stopper made from recycled wood and cork dust, and a label created from byproducts of the whisky production process, including barley. The carton is made of 100% recycled cardboard.

The auction, which ran from the 26th November – 6th December via the Whisky Auctioneer website came after the SWA revealed new data showing the industry’s latest progress towards key sustainability targets since launching its first Environmental Strategy in 2009, including a 53% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, an increase in the use of non-fossil fuels from 3% to 39%, and a 13% improvement in energy efficiency.

The first bottle was auctioned at £420.

Limited-Edition Glenfiddich Sample: Commemorative 26 Year Old Whisky To Mark COP26

Twenty six years ago in 1995, as the world gathered in Berlin for the first annual COP climate summit, Glenfiddich filled a single European oak cask with newly distilled spirit and set it aside to rest. To mark this year’s summit in its homeland, the rare and aged single malt Scotch whisky was been bottled exclusively to mark COP26 – a one of a kind Glenfiddich 26 Year Old whisky.

A small quantity of these exclusive, limited-edition bottles are being auctioned by Royal Mile Whiskies with all profits going directly to Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) to continue its mission to create a greener future for Scotland. A true collector’s item, the bottles represent Walpole member Glenfiddich’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, following the launch of its pioneering transport initiative, ‘Fuelled By Glenfiddich’ which reroutes production wastes and residues into Ultra-Clean Low Carbon fuel, now powering Glenfiddich’s transport fleet. SCCS is now a partner of Glenfiddich in this endeavour.

At 48.2% ABV, it has developed a colour of antique gold, with an aromatic and intriguing aroma bound to excite. The whisky has not been chill filtered which has helped retain a creamy texture with a complex, rich and spiced scent on the nose and dry spices with an interesting sweet/ savoury profile on the palate. To date, the whisky has only been tasted at COP26 itself, attended by world leaders and key global figures to mark this significant moment and critical time for climate change action.

The partnership enables Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and Glenfiddich to raise awareness of the active steps Scotland is taking to tackle climate change. These include the brand’s recently launched, pioneering ‘closed loop’ sustainable transport initiative, ‘Fuelled By Glenfiddich’. This involves converting production wastes and residues into Ultra-Clean Low Carbon fuel that is starting to be introduced to some of its transport fleet.

World leaders and COP26 conference attendees had a chance to taste the one-off Glenfiddich 26 Year Old whisky at a series of COP26 events during the summit, where Mark Thomson, the Glenfiddich Ambassador to Scotland, led guests through exclusive tastings.

Whisky enthusiasts and sustainability supporters alike had the chance to bid on a true collector’s item, one of 100 bottles, via a charity auction through Royal Mile Whiskies. The average price per bottle was £1,500. This auction raised money for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and was live from Monday 22nd November, concluding on Monday 29th November 2021.

Scotland has set an ambitious target to cut emissions by 75% by 2030, and to become Net Zero by 2045. With whisky forming such a large part of Scotland’s identity, the Scotch Whisky Association has outlined its ambitious and impressive vision for the future with a focus on four main areas for industry action:

•    Tackling climate change by having net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040;

•    Moving to a circular economy by making all packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025;

•    Hitting responsible water use targets by 2025; and

•    Caring for the land through the active conservation and restoration of Scotland’s peatland by 2035.

The market price as of today has touched £2,335.