“Like the terms ‘green’ or ‘natural,’ ‘sustainable’ has become a somewhat diluted buzzword within the spirits industry. In the late 1980s, the UN defined sustainability as ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’

A spirits producer that strives to be sustainable in the true sense of the word should honor the environment, embrace transparency around the ingredients used, support the people making the product, and respect the intellectual property rights of the people who have historically made the spirit and continue to preserve cultural ties to the plant and its growth, harvest, and/or processing.

For our purposes, truly sustainable spirit producers should demonstrate the following:

• Respect for the natural ecosystem, including practicing responsible farming, preserving wildlife and local plant life engaging in proper wastewater disposal, and committing to biodiversity;

• Respect for cultural ties and traditional production methods (when applicable); and

• Respect for human rights by assuring safe labor conditions both in the field and in production facilities, paying livable wages to workers, and upholding fair pricing and contracts for both raw ingredients and finished products.

At the end of the day, it’s not about passing judgement; it’s about encouraging transparency, empowering consumers, and, most importantly, closing the gap between (and growing an appreciation for) the raw ingredient and final product. I hope Spirits Distilled is a seed that reinforces your connection with the earth and with people via the deep history of distilled spirits, starting from the ground up.”

—Nat