Classic Laddie cuts carbon footprint with ‘major’ redesign

Islay-based distillery Bruichladdich has revamped the packaging of The Classic Laddie, reducing the single malt whisky’s carbon emissions by 65%.

The new design is 32% lighter than the previous bottle, and is now made with 60% recycled glass. The lighter weight means there will be fewer distribution vehicles on the road, as more bottles can be transported per pallet.

Furthermore, the producer has removed the secondary tin, which generated more than 1kg of carbon dioxide alone. Customers had previously been able to opt out of ordering secondary packaging, but this option has now been removed altogether.

Douglas Taylor, CEO at Bruichladdich Distillery, said: “As an industry, we’ve become accustomed to believing that single malt Scotch whisky must come with outer packaging as standard.

“Where most other spirits travel around the world in just the bottle, the majority of single malts have an elaborate or heavy secondary outer pack. And it made us ask ourselves, why? Secondary packaging is not always necessary, and it’s certainly not sustainable.

“The new proprietary Classic Laddie bottle marks a significant step change for Bruichladdich. This is much more than a bottle redesign. It is changing the trajectory for the brand and the way that we operate as a values-led business.”

Bruichladdich worked with Glaswegian design agency Thirst to redesign The Classic Laddie bottle.

Matt Burns, executive creative director at Thirst, said: “This bold and progressive design and brand identity is emblematic of the role we must all play in taking responsibility for the future of the environment, and provides and opportunity for like-minded purposeful drinkers to connect with a brand that represents what they value.

“It’s about leading the way in shifting habits – it proves you don’t need to have secondary packaging to represent luxury, quality, or to be interesting.”

The distillery has teamed up with Swiss artist Simon Berger, known for his work with glass. The artist shattered 15 panes of recyclable glass to celebrate the new bottle design.

Bruichladdich Distillery has introduced a number of sustainable measures over the years, including the installation of a circulatory heating system on site. Furthermore, the distillery switched to ‘cleaner grades’ of biofuels to cut its carbon footprint.

In 2020, Bruichladdich Distillery became the first Scotch and gin distiller to achieve B Corp certification.