A member of the Spey Fishery Board has criticised the use of aluminium bottles for whisky, arguing that the production of the material is far from environmentally friendly due to its link to a dam that threatens endangered salmon.
Charlie Whelan's comments follow recent coverage of Stirling Distillery's trial of eco-friendly aluminium bottles. The distillery's marketing director reportedly believes younger consumers could be drawn by the promise of better green credentials compared with glass bottles.
However, Whelan points out that the aluminium smelter at Fort William in the Highlands uses electricity partly generated by the Spey dam, which diverts water from the Spey catchment. According to an independent report by Envirocentre for the Spey Fishery Board, the River Spey is under pressure from over-abstraction, with the dam responsible for 66% of all water abstraction.
The dam also acts as a physical barrier to migratory fish, including Atlantic salmon, which is now an endangered species. The campaign to "release the Spey", backed by the Spey Fishery Board, has called on the Scottish government to remove the dam.
Whelan, a member of the board, expressed hope that whisky from Speyside - widely regarded as the best in the world - would never be served from aluminium bottles.
