A Scottish distillery is assessing the viability of offering its whisky in lightweight, recyclable aluminium packaging instead of glass.

Stirling Distillery, a small distillery based in the Scottish town of Stirling, has teamed up with scientists at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University to test how its whisky behaves when stored in aluminium rather than traditional glass bottles.

Aluminium bottles are light and thin while remaining strong, which would help cut down on shipping weight, transport costs and energy use. Compared to glass, it is also more readily and easily recyclable. 

Kathryn Holm, marketing director at Stirling Distillery, said: “Glass has long been central to whisky’s image; it’s weighty, and evokes the craftsmanship of the spirit. But it is also heavy to transport and relies on high recycling rates to reduce its environmental impact.

“We want to make our distillery as sustainable as possible ahead of our first mature whisky being released in 2027.”

Researchers at Heriot-Watt were tasked with investigating how aluminium packaging interacts chemically with whisky to alter its flavour and if it can be safely stored for long periods.

Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, they tested the whisky inside the aluminium bottles over several months. This technique uses a powerful magnet combined with radio frequency waves to identify what a substance is made of and help detect levels of metals in liquids.

Dr Dave Ellis, assistant professor at Heriot-Watt’s school of engineering & physical sciences, said: “We know that certain organic acids naturally present in matured whisky can react with aluminium, which can lead to aluminium entering the liquid. If we stir samples with aluminium metal, the levels were well above what would be considered acceptable for drinking water.”

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 the new made spirit, which has not yet developed the same chemical profile.

Professor Annie Hill from Heriot-Watt’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling said this highlighted why caution was essential. She explained that traditional aluminium cans contain liners to protect the contents from metal contamination. During their testing they found that the packaging’s liner was not sufficient to prevent aluminium from passing into the spirit. 

The next stage of their research would be to find a liner that can withstand high alcohol levels for a prolonged period of time without degrading.

The good news is that if they can find an effective liner, the aluminium packaging did not prove to change the taste and aroma of the whisky, as was discovered during panel testing. 

Holm said: “We are not suggesting glass disappears tomorrow. But offering customers a lower-carbon option for a premium product is something worth exploring. As a small distillery, we can help start that conversation.”