Ecology & Agriculture: Inside the Regeneration Project

With a view to have a test site and be better able to work with local growers, the distillery went on to buy Shore House Croft in 2018. We had been working with Scotgrain and the James Hutton Institute testing new varieties of barley, but these varieties were being tested on the east side of Scotland with a wholly different set of climactic factors. Questions were raised on how to develop a type of malting barley that would grow well on the west coast. These questions led to a Croft Summit in year 2018 on Islay with local farmers, as well as Westland Distillery and Chef Dan Barber, renowned for his research into food and sustainability at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. From this, the ideas on how to support local farmers with transitioning to regenerative farming continued to grow. 

“Regenerative agriculture for us is really about learning and making an impact,” says Hannett. “We’re running the distillery, doing all the things we do in the distillery, with a view on regenerative and sustainable agriculture.”  

It’s no mean feat for an island distillery to explore innovations in agriculture – something that requires years of trials, research, and ongoing conversations – in and amongst the daily running of a business. “It’s harvest by harvest, year by year. It’s finding the space and time to keep these things moving. It’s all about arming ourselves with knowledge and expertise.” 

Jones has been planting rye for eight years now – so far, a winter variety of rye. It’s planted in the autumn after the barley harvest and waits out the winter underground before shooting up in the spring. That long wait over winter can result in significant loss of seed between heavy rains and devastation by migrating geese. Currently, Jones, in partnership with Bruichladdich Distillery, the James Hutton Institute, and UHI, has been searching for a variety of rye to be planted in the spring and avoid the risks of winter.

The intention at Coull Farm is to upscale the amount of cover crops put in after barley, aiming for around 80% of cereal crops to be out of forage or cover crops of some description. The farm also hopes to double the amount of land that’s not ploughed, from 40% this year to 80% by 2027. In the meantime, Jones is working with independent agronomists to help him use less chemical fertiliser and sprays over the next few years.  

The challenges of producing a new kind of whisky for the benefit of the soil and local farmers isn’t only about getting the right grain variety and a ready market, there’s the challenge of actual distillation to consider as well. Or in this case, the mashing. 

Hannett describes the mash of that first batch of rye as “a nightmare...but really interesting.” The quantity of rye grown and harvested is too small for it to be malted as a separate batch by our malters, Bairds, so our rye was unmalted until 2024 when we were able to partner with Crafty Maltsters to do a small batch malting of the grain. For these unmalted batches, the rye had to be “cooked” at a higher temperature to break down the starches, then left to cool before adding the malted barley and leaving the lot to stew at 149°F to awaken the enzymes within the barley and kickstart the fermentation process. 

Then there was the turning of the mash: rye doesn’t have a husk like barley, which means there’s no natural filter, making for a sticky, porridgy stew that our Victorian equipment struggled to work with. From there on, fortunately, it was smooth sailing from fermentation through to distillation.

And the flavour? “Incredible! It’s radically different,” says Hannett. “Although we’ve got a mashbill that’s using 55% Islay rye, 45% Islay malted barley, that spirit when it comes off the still has a spiciness to it. (By comparison, in the the United States, rye whiskey can be made from a mash bill containing 51% or more rye grain.) You’re getting liquorice and aniseed, and as it’s aged in American Oak, that sweet, caramel-vanilla character you get from the wood combines with the malted barley and the spiciness of the rye. It’s a very different flavour profile to the single malt whisky that we normally make – although those quintessential floral qualities Bruichladdich Distillery is known for come through as well.” 

Farming in this century has often sat in opposition with conservation. But through regenerative farming, the two fields are finding common ground. A recent report released by the British Ecological Society based on the combined expertise of over 40 academics, farmers, and regenerative practitioners, shows that regenerative techniques have positive impacts on increasing biodiversity and ecosystem health. Lead author of the report, Professor Nicola Randall at Harper Adams University, says “Science and ecologists have a big part to play in regenerative agriculture along with farmers. There’s a perception that regenerative agriculture or nature friendly farming is going backwards, rediscovering past ways of farming. In actual fact, there’s a lot of exciting new technology and developments involved. The movement is very much forward looking.” 

Bruichladdich Distillery Company CEO, Douglas Taylor, speaks to how important it is to look towards the future in this industry.  

“Whisky is an agricultural product, and without healthy, diverse soils we cannot cultivate our essential raw ingredients. But beyond that, we must leave behind a positive, lasting legacy for generations to come. As a distillery we understand that we can work with our farming partners to practice more sensitive land management techniques, which contribute to improved soil health and eventually increased profitability for farmers. And with the knowledge we have at our fingertips today, we must be guardians of our lands as well as our brands and our people.” 

Whisky is about so much more than flavour. It is also about people, land, and how we chose to shape the industry and environment for the coming generations. Alongside our farming partners, we share the risk and reward of seeking the best, from the ground up, and are united in our mission to leave behind healthy lands for young hands. This journey from grain to glass is the story of our future.