Arbikie Distillery
Nestled in the heart of Scotland’s rugged landscape, Arbikie Distillery is redefining what it means to be a craft spirits producer. Innovation at Arbikie isn’t just about flavour - it’s about doing things differently, sustainably, and with a deep respect for the land. Their approach spans from regenerative farming to cutting‑edge research partnerships, driven by a belief that spirits can be both premium and planet‑positive.
In this Q&A with UK Sales Manager Hannah Mitchell, we explore how Arbikie is challenging tradition, pushing boundaries, and setting new standards for responsible distilling - not just for today, but for generations to come.
Scottish Food & Drink September
What does innovation mean for your business?
For Arbikie, innovation means; challenging tradition responsibly, keeping the craft alive, while reimagining how spirits can be produced with sustainability at their core. We put our climate impact first by developing climate-positive spirits, reducing waste, and experimenting with regenerative farming methods that restore biodiversity. We craft our spirits with integrity, our small scale allows us to be hands-on, to test, to learn, and to refine without compromise.
We believe true innovation comes from having the courage to do things differently, even when it’s harder or slower. For us, it’s not about being the biggest, but about proving that a distillery rooted in family values and Scottish soil can inspire change across the industry.
At Arbikie, innovation is our way of keeping the future in every bottle, not just for our customers today, but for the generations to come.
Image: Hannah Mitchell, UK Sales Manager at Arbikie
Can you tell us about some of the innovative sustainability initiatives your business is leading?
Arbikie's revolutionary spirit is called Nadar, meaning 'nature' in Gaelic. It's most innovative and surprising feature, is its base, the pea. As a field to bottle farm and distillery, We are uniquely placed to experiment and innovate by distilling with unconventional crops and assessing their carbon impact. Growing peas means no nitrogen fertiliser is needed, avoiding the negative environmental impact of its production and use. Our pea fields also support pollinating insects and improve the quality of our soil.
Are there any collaborations you're involved in that help push innovation further?
Over the years, we’ve partnered with leading research institutions to push boundaries in sustainable spirits production and agricultural science. Notably, we’ve worked with the James Hutton Institute on crop development and soil health, Abertay University on fermentation and sensory profiling, and Heriot-Watt University on malting research.
Currently, we’re collaborating with BOFIN and the Pulse Pioneers project, exploring the potential of pulses in regenerative farming. We have also just begun a collaborative project with the University of Dundee and Edinburgh Napier University called MycoPack. MycoPack is a project, co-funded by Scotland Beyond Net Zero, using mycelium, the root structure of fungi, and distillery by-products such as spent grain to create durable, lightweight packaging. The material created is impact-resistant, fire-retardant, and fully compostable, offering an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. This project will create packaging made from mycelium that's not just environmentally responsible but also in line with the Arbikie values.
These partnerships allow us to stay at the forefront of innovation while remaining true to our values of provenance, sustainability, and quality.
How are you addressing energy use and carbon reduction at the distillery itself?
At Arbikie, we take our responsibility to reduce energy use and carbon emissions seriously, both on the farm and within the distillery itself.
One of our key initiatives is the installation of a green hydrogen electrolyser, which will allow us to generate hydrogen on site using renewable electricity. This hydrogen will replace fossil fuels in our distilling process, providing a clean, sustainable energy source that dramatically reduces our carbon footprint. By investing in green hydrogen, we’re not only cutting emissions at Arbikie today, but also pioneering an approach we believe can help shape the future of sustainable distilling in Scotland and beyond.
What broader sustainability goals are you working toward?
At Arbikie, our sustainability goals go well beyond reducing carbon in the distillery. As a farm-to-bottle business, our ambition is to embed sustainability into every stage of what we do, from the way we grow and source our crops, to how we produce, package, and distribute our spirits. We are focused on regenerative farming, biodiversity on our land, reducing waste and water use, and continuing to lead with climate-positive products.
Importantly, we are also aligning ourselves with the highest global standards of accountability and transparency; more news on that to come later this month. For us, sustainability isn’t a single project but a long-term commitment to ensuring Arbikie has a positive impact on our community, our environment, and the wider spirits industry.
Image: Arbikie's sustainable mirror houses on their farm (OOD Houses), bookable on their website.
