Aberfeldy Single Malt Scotch Whisky has announced a new sponsorship with national non-profit The Bee Conservancy to support bee populations across the United States. Aberfeldy is known for its time-honored techniques which conjure honeyed notes, leading the Highland dram to pair well with honey-based cocktails and creating a unique connection between the whisky and the delicious natural resource. That’s why Aberfeldy launched its Barrel & Bees program in 2018 to support urban beekeepers by planting for honey bees, and to promote buying local honey.
Beginning on National Honey Bee Day (August 21st), and continuing throughout National Honey Month in September and beyond, the brand will showcase its commitment to helping these precious pollinators through a variety of new Barrels & Bees activations, including:
- A charitable sponsorship with The Bee Conservancy, which led to the organization’s creation of the Barrels & Bees Award for bars, restaurants, and community gardens;
- A $15,000 philanthropic donation to The Bee Conservancy to support their important work;
- The additional donation of $20 per use of the hashtag #BarrelsAndBees on Instagram, up to $10,000, to drive public participation in the program;
- An educational video series with bee advocate and The Neighborhood star Beth Behrs; and
- A cocktail kit for people looking to get involved at home.
This latest Barrels & Bees initiative comes at a time when 1 in 4 of North America’s 4,000 native bee species are at risk of extinction, and honey bee colonies continue to die at unprecedented rates as they are plagued by stressors such as pests, pathogens and loss of habitat. In an effort to help reverse this trend, Aberfeldy’s sponsorship of The Bee Conservancy led to the creation of The Barrels & Bees Award, which will be granted to 16 bars and restaurants – and in some instances cared for by community gardens – around the country with the aim of supporting local bee populations. Aberfeldy has gifted their used whisky barrels to The Bee Conservancy, which were used to create barrel garden planters that the organization has awarded to various bars, restaurants, and community gardens nationwide. The up-cycled barrel gardens, which were designed in partnership with custom wood and fabrication shop Brooklyn Woods, are custom planted with bee-friendly flowers and seasonal herbs native to the region they are in to support the foraging of local bee populations.
The barrels will be on display now through the end of October at local bars and restaurants in Miami, Tampa/Orlando, Dallas, Southern California, the Bay Area, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, DC – after which they will be maintained locally at restaurants or by community gardens where they will continue to support bees throughout the year. The Bee Conservancy’s community garden partners likewise will receive a Barrels & Bees Award funded by Aberfeldy to account for transportation needs while tending the barrel at the restaurant and bar partners. Each bar or restaurant that receives the Barrels & Bees Award will also serve Aberfeldy’s Herbed Honey Smash – a signature cocktail crafted to showcase local honey alongside Aberfeldy 12 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, lemon juice, and fresh herbs harvested from the pollinator garden.
“The Aberfeldy Barrels & Bees platform educates people about the plight of bees, while advocating provenance and the use of quality ingredients,” said Sara Ivy, Brand Director Single Malts at Bacardi. “We are proud to continue driving awareness for bees and to do our part to support their populations.”
In addition to a $15,000 donation Aberfeldy is making to The Bee Conservancy in support of its crucial work, people at home are able to participate and further the giving. For every Instagram post from August 21st through September 30, 2021, using the hashtag #BarrelsAndBees, Aberfeldy will donate an additional $20 – up to $10,000 – to support the bees.
“The decline in bee populations and the toll of their loss is intrinsically linked to the ability of local areas to grow food. This is why beyond saving the bees, The Bee Conservancy strives to educate, engage with nature, grow food and community bonds and build sustainable economic opportunities,” said Rebecca Louie, Managing Director, The Bee Conservancy. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Aberfeldy, a collaborator that shares these same goals, as we continue our important work.”
For people who want to support the cause but aren’t located near a Barrels & Bees Award-winning bar or restaurant, Aberfeldy is offering a limited-edition cocktail kit on ReserveBar.com, stocked with all the ingredients needed to create the signature Aberfeldy Herbed Honey Smash at home. The limited-edition cocktail crate, which includes a bottle of ABERFELDY 12, seed coasters and a seed package they can use to plant their own basil that can double as forage, gold-dipped glassware and a bottle of artisanal, small-batch honey are currently available for purchase and will be sold throughout National Honey Month this September for $45. With only 100 of these luxurious cocktail kits available for purchase, get them while supplies last.
Aberfeldy is known as “The Golden Dram” because the distillery water source is the famous Pitilie Burn – a river renowned for its water quality and famed for its rich deposits of alluvial gold. Inside the distillery, time-honoured techniques like long fermentation, which conjures rare honeyed notes, safeguard the whisky’s flavour profile, renowned for its rich, smooth taste.
For more details on the Barrels & Bees program, visit the official website.
