Stirling Distillery has been working with scientists from the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University to investigate whether aluminium could replace glass bottles for its Scotch whisky.
Kathryn Holm from Stirling Distillery initiated the project, and states the company is aiming to minimize its footprint and become ‘as sustainable as possible’ before the release of its first mature whisky in 2027. Holm notes that glass is heavy to transport and relies on high recycling rates to reduce its environmental impact; as aluminium is lighter and widely recycled, she asked the university to see whether it would be a viable alternative.
Spirit supplied by the distillery was placed in aluminium bottles and tested over several months by Dr Dave Ellis and student Charlotte York, using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy - a technique that uses a powerful magnet combined with radiofrequency waves to identify what a substance is made of by measuring how its atoms respond - and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, which detects levels of metals in liquids.
According to the university, the chemistry showed that compounds such as gallic acid, which develop during whisky maturation, were reduced or removed after prolonged contact with aluminium. These reactions were much less pronounced in new make spirit, which has not yet developed the same chemical profile.
Professor Annie Hill from Heriot-Watt’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) said that caution was essential, stating: “In this case, the liner within the can wasn’t sufficient to prevent aluminium from passing into the spirit. The next stage of this research would be to find a liner that can withstand high alcohol levels for a prolonged period of time without degrading.”
Student Andrew Marr also carried out taste testing to compare the whisky stored in aluminium to whisky in glass bottles, with panellists reportedly unable to tell the difference. More details are available in the full report on Stirling Distillery’s website.
In related news, back in 2023 we reported on the rise of canned water and wine, with a reported 125% increase in consumption of canned wine in the UK in the year to August 2019. The same year also saw Vinca has launch a new series of its organic wine range from Sicily in 187ml cans from Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP).
More recently, Kingsland Drinks and MM Packaging unveiled a fully enclosed, FSC-certified cartonboard format for canned wines and ready-to-drink cocktails, serving as a transit pack and on-shelf solution. Kingsland Drinks is currently utilizing the cases for its multipacks of twelve in 200ml and 250ml can formats.
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