The global headquarters of Bacardi, located in Bermuda, welcomes new tenants – honeybees who are moving in as part of the ABERFELDY Barrels and Bees program and the company’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability. ABERFELDY single malt whisky, in collaboration with Wild Island Farms, will install four beehives at the iconic Bacardi building.
ABERFELDY, also known as ‘The Golden Dram’ after its water source – the Pitilie Burn – is famed for honeyed notes which are conjured as the whisky is crafted. As a result, the highland dram pairs very well with honey in mixed drinks.
Ongoing trends show that consumers and bartenders increasingly care about sustainable sourcing and the quality of ingredients – the spirits, bitters, tinctures and ice that go into every drink – but often honey gets overlooked and what’s purchased is often the cheapest/bulk honey possible. But, just like whisky, shouldn’t the source of honey matter?
“Honey has provenance, it has terroir, it can change from hive to hive, and as a result it can be a very exciting ingredient to mix with, especially alongside whisky,” says Georgie Bell, Global Brand Ambassador, Malts. “The global ABERFELDY Barrels and Bees platform educates people about the plight of bees and the state of our wildlife, while advocating provenance and the use of quality ingredients, that don’t cost the earth.”
There is a global epidemic surrounding honey. Across the world, honeybees have experienced a dramatic decline in the last 100 years and wild bees are experiencing an even steeper decline.
Bell adds: “We as a community need to help by supporting our local, urban beekeepers, by planting for honeybees, and buying local. It all has a knock-on effect.”
“At Bacardi, our vision is to be the most environmentally responsible global spirits company. At every step of the journey, from field to bottle to cocktail, our brands respect and care for the environment,” says Douglas Mello, Managing Director of the Bermuda office. “The installation of beehives by ABERFELDY at our global headquarters is one of the many ways we give back to the environment and help drive greater awareness of the role we can each play in protecting wildlife and natural resources.”
A Golden Union of ABERFELDY Single Malt and Local Honey, ABERFELDY’s Barrels and Bees is a global project which can be adapted regionally in markets to dial-in the with the local bar scene, terrain and local beekeepers.
The installation in Bermuda marks the second beehive installation at a Bacardi site with the inaugural set at the Bacardi North America offices in Coral Gables, Florida in 2019. Across the world ABERFELDY is bringing together bartenders, whisky drinkers and beekeepers – from the USA to Thailand, Germany to Bermuda, and everywhere in between to educate, inform, inspire and drink some honey cocktails with ABERFELDY.
