Single malt is enjoyed by Hollywood stars, astronauts may reach for stars, drunks may even see them, now the greenest whisky ever made is distilled under the influence of stars. The world’s first ever biodynamic whisky has been distilled at Bruichladdich Distillery from barley sown, grown and harvested according to an astral calendar. Biodynamic Bruichladdich is über-organic, the barley being grown according to the controversial agricultural principles of the messianic Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925).
Steiner, an Austrian philosopher, educationalist, spiritualist and lecturer, is considered the ‘Galileo of organic science’; to critics, he was just a cosmic nutter. To counter the over-dependance on agrochemicals, Steiner set out an holistic approach to agriculture, where the farm unit becomes “biologically dynamic”. Steiner codified the 18th century farming ways, an accumulation of 8,000 years of agricultural know how, when Man was more in tune with earth’s natural cycles.
Farmers are guided by a cosmic calendar, where phases of the lunar and astral cycle indicate the ideal time for sowing, pruning or treating – not only the tides.
Whisky is an agricultural product and barley is key. Thanks to industrial production, the basic tenet – its provenance – has been lost. We have been busy working to reconnect it and this is the Holy Grail.
100% of our whisky comes from 28 farms – an unprecedented 50% of is grown on Islay, and 50% is organically grown on the mainland. Biodynamics, what with astral calendars, nettle insecticides and cow horn fertilisers, sounds far too hippy and alternative. But there’s method to this madness: Stripped down, it’s essentially a modern farming creed based on ancient knowledge, know how that was lost when folk left the land for the cities.
We are very proud to have produced Biodynamic Bruichladdich, to be the first people to distil such an extra-ordinary spirit, and an Islay single malt at that. 8 of the world’s 10 best wine makers (Leflaive, Bize-Leroy, Romanee Conti, Zind Humbrecht etc. ) produce wines from biodynamically grown grapes.
Biodynamic Bruichladdich certified by Demeter will not be available until after several years of maturation, until at least 2018
The Organic is available from whisky specialists and on line at bruichladdich.com
