The Ardnamurchan distillery in Scotland's west Highlands has become the first to sell single malt Scotch in a plastic bottle, launching its flagship AD/ whisky in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) packaging. The move is aimed at boosting the drink's environmental credentials, as PET is far lighter than glass, reducing shipping emissions, and can be recycled repeatedly. It challenges the traditional link between whisky and glass bottles, with the distillery insisting quality and taste will remain unaffected.

The 50cl bottles have launched initially in Norway, sold nationwide in Vinmonopolet stores for around £32, and are bottled at a slightly reduced 46 per cent ABV. Norway was chosen for its strong recycling infrastructure, with rates on plastic bottles reaching up to 97 per cent. Ardnamurchan, which opened in 2014 and runs on 100 per cent biomass fuel, said the packaging fits within Scotch Whisky Association rules requiring bottles to be made of an "inert" material rather than specifically glass.