British wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd has announced the launch of an annual release of spirits, The Collective, which celebrates 'like-minded' producers.

The first release of The Collective, named The Pioneers, shines the spotlight on 10 distillers that have put environmental sustainability at the forefront of their whisky and spirits making. 

The 10 pioneers celebrated, and their corresponding expressions in The Collective #1, are:

• Oskar Bruno – Agitator 2018 Single Malt Swedish Whisky
• John Stirling – Arbikie 2017 Single Grain Scotch Whisky
• Alex Bruce – Ardnamurchan 2017 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Peter Bignell – Belgrove 2016 Single Rye Tasmanian Whisky
• Matthew Farmer – Glen Wyvis 2018 Quarter Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Jean & Amy Pasquet – Jean-Luc Pasquet 2017 Petit Champagne Cognac
• Annabel Thomas – Nc’nean 2017 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• John Letts – Oxford Artisan 2019 Single Rye English Whisky
• David & Fiona Boyd-Armstrong – Shortcross 2017 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
• Matt Hoffman – Westland 2014 Madeira Finish Single Malt American Whisky

Each expression in The Collective release was chosen by Berry Bros. & Rudd's spirits reserve whisky manager Jonny McMillan in collaboration with pioneering bartender and spirits expert Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan.

McMillan said: “There is no set path on the sustainability journey, nor one single solution. The beauty of Collective #1: The Pioneers is that each distiller has taken a different approach to sustainability, with the strength being in the diversity and combination of practices, making a whole entity, with continuous learnings.

“We looked to find a broad spectrum of producers from various traditions of whisky and Cognac making with each distiller taking a slightly different approach to sustainability, some focusing on soil health and regenerative farming, others on lowering energy use or green power. For each distiller there is a different solution that fits the location and character of their distillery. Together they form a great overview of what’s going on with environmentally pioneering producers.”

Berry Bros. & Rudd has its own ambitions in relation to environmental sustainability, with the business aiming to be plastic free and carbon neutral by 2030.

Lizzy Rudd, Berry Bros. & Rudd chair, added: “Our producers are the best in the world at what they do. Like us, they believe that protecting our planet is the only way to ensure the future of fine wine and spirits. We believe that, together with our producers, we can improve practices around the use of water, energy and plastic.”

Each whisk(e)y from The Collective #1: The Pioneers is priced at £125 and Cognac at £75.00. All are available to purchase from 27 September from Berry Bros. & Rudd, Master of Malt, and Royal Mile Whiskies.