Tree Planting 2022

The distilling team got to roll up their sleeves this week and put on their wellies as we got down to the business of planting 2000 trees as part of our barrel sustainability plan. A total of 1,000 oak and 1,000 native broadleaf trees were planted on the Preston family farm in Co Meath www.swainstownfarm.ie. The Preston family have historic links to the world famous Preston’s of Drogheda, Co Louth – operators of a whiskey bonding business for almost a century from 1886.

Only three to four barrels can be made from a suitable tree and Boann lays down 6,000 barrels annually to allow its whiskey to mature. We choose to work only with coopers that source their wood from sustainable sources.

Cask maturation is an essential part of the whiskey making process. We cask our newmake spirit into oak barrels from around the world and this new planting of trees will contribute to close the loop on our barrel sustainability programme in the new circular economy, while also helping to reduce our carbon footprint into the future.

This is the start of ongoing plans to make a more sustainable distilling future for Irish Whiskey. We are a family business and look to the long term in everything we do, protecting the environment for the next generation is paramount. We plan to plant a further 1,000 oak trees annually in the coming years, all of which will be protected and allowed grow to maturity.

Boann has already been rewarded for its environmental activities  – becoming the first distillery in Ireland to be awarded Bord Bia Origin Green Gold member status in 2020 ( link to OG Profile )  – one of only 29 inaugural companies to receive the accolade.

Reducing water usage, moving to exclusively renewable energy sources, rainwater harvesting and supporting local grain  supply are some of the key measures we are adopting to promote sustainability within the industry.