Reducing emissions. Removing carbon. Restoring nature.
OUR CLIMATE JOURNEY
Climate action starts with reducing emissions, not offsetting them. We measure our footprint, reduce emissions wherever possible and invest in long term carbon removal through habitat restoration, woodland planting and credible carbon removal technologies. Every figure is measured, reported and continually improved.
OUR APPROACH
Every environmental decision begins with a simple question. How can we leave this place in better condition than we found it?
That means measuring our emissions, reducing them wherever possible and investing in projects that create lasting value for nature. Alongside improvements within the distillery, we are planting trees, establishing new botanical habitats and restoring landscapes both here on the Wiltshire Downs and a new project in Dorset.
There we are helping restore a historic Dorset farm, first established in the 1720s, by reintroducing traditional orchards and rebuilding the habitats that have been lost over generations. These projects will continue capturing carbon, supporting biodiversity and creating healthier ecosystems for decades to come.
Our approach is built around four simple principles that guide every decision we make.
Understand Our Impact
MEASURE
We calculate our greenhouse gas emissions across Scope 1, 2 and 3, providing the evidence needed to make informed decisions and track meaningful progress.
Act With Purpose
REDUCE
Our first priority is always to avoid emissions. From renewable electricity and lighter packaging to refill systems and local sourcing, we continually look for opportunities to reduce our impact.
Invest in Nature
RESTORE
Through tree planting, orchard restoration, wildflower meadows, forest planting, and habitat creation, we are investing in landscapes that will benefit both wildlife and future generations.
Track Progress
REPORT
Progress only matters if it can be measured. We openly publish our environmental performance, celebrate successes and acknowledge where further improvements are needed.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
MEASURED PROGRESS.
Every initiative is measured so we understand the difference it makes. These figures represent the progress achieved by us, a small independent distillery working alongside customers, suppliers and local partners to reduce emissions, restore habitats and build a more circular future.
Every figure tells part of a much bigger story. Some changes deliver immediate reductions in emissions, while others, such as woodland planting and habitat restoration, will continue creating environmental benefits for decades.
For example the distillery garden, is expected to remove roughly 0.5 to 1 tonne of CO₂ each year. As plants mature this may increase, but at the same time it creates a habitat for birds, insects and wildlife.
Scope 3 items account for over 75% of our Footprint, this is the harder number to reduce.
Small Distillery | Significant Results.
PRACTICAL CHANGES
REDUCING FOOTPRINT
Reducing our environmental footprint is one of the hardest parts of running a distillery. There is no checklist to follow and very few perfect solutions. Almost every improvement begins with a question. Is there a better way to do this without compromising the quality of the spirit?
Some answers come quickly. Others take months of testing, investment and collaboration before they become reality. We don't always get it right first time, but every improvement teaches us something and moves us forward.
Progress never really ends. We continue to measure, question and refine every part of the business, from production and logistics to packaging, conservation and habitat restoration. Each improvement may be small on its own, but together they move us towards a lower impact future.
CIRCULAR DISTILLING
NOTHING WASTED
Surplus fruit and produce are turned into our Orchard Spirits range, which was launched last year in 20225. Apples become Eau de Vie de Cidre. Grape pomace becomes Marc de Downton, with surplus apple juice becoming Pommeau. Each spirit gives the ingredients a new purpose.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
DISTILLERY POWER
At the heart of our distillery is a traditional copper Alembic Charentais still, where every spirit is crafted over a gentle gas flame. It is the method that delivers the quality we believe in. We are open about that reality and committed to finding better solutions as technology evolves.
SMARTER PACKAGING
MATERIALS
From recycled glass and paper packaging to refill pouches weighing just 14 grams, materials are chosen ultimately to reduce emissions while protecting the quality of the spirits inside. Lighter, recycled and reusable materials also reduce emissions tied to every delivery.
Circular Packaging
BOTTLE FOR LIFE
Our refill programme replaces single use glass with lightweight refill pouches that customers return free of charge for reuse. Today, refill pouches account for more than 80% of our sales, reducing packaging waste and the emissions associated with transporting heavy glass
Local Ingredients
CLOSER TO HOME
Where practical, we grow, forage and source ingredients locally. Lemon verbena, bay and orchard fruit grow around the distillery, while other botanicals come from trusted local partners. This keeps our spirits connected to the landscape and helps reduce transport.
Restoring Nature
WORKING WITH THE LAND
Nature restoration takes many forms. Some projects happen on our doorstep through new botanical gardens, orchards and habitats around the distillery and in Dorset. Others are supported further afield through responsibly managed woodlands that remove carbon and strengthen biodiversity for generations. Together, they reflect our belief that protecting nature starts locally but doesn't stop at our own boundaries.
RESTORING NATURE
Some of the work we are most proud of happens outside the distillery.
It is found in the garden, in young juniper groves, in wildflower planting and in the slow return of traditional orchards and habitats. These projects take patience. They will not transform a landscape overnight. But every tree planted, every botanical established and every area restored gives nature more room to recover.
We are learning as we go, working with local partners and putting time, care and investment into places that will outlast us. Around the distillery, across Wiltshire and Dorset, and through woodland restoration further afield, we are excited to play a small part in creating healthier landscapes for wildlife and future generations.
Around the Distillery
DISTILLERY GARDEN
The garden has become one of the most rewarding parts of the distillery. Lemon verbena, bay, juniper, wildflowers and orchard trees now grow alongside the botanicals that inspire our spirits. It gives us a place to grow, experiment and welcome more insects, birds and mammals into the landscape around us.
Native Species
JUNIPER RECOVERY
Juniper belongs on these Downs, yet it has become increasingly rare across southern England. We are working with local partners to establish new groves and give this remarkable native species a stronger future. Watching these young plants take hold is a small but exciting sign of what long term restoration can achieve.
Wiltshire & Dorset
HABITAT RESTORATION
Healthy landscapes need more than trees. We are helping restore traditional orchards, planting wildflowers and rebuilding habitats on the downs, around the distillery and at a historic Dorset farm. Each project gives wildlife more food and shelter, while helping bring back some of the character that generations of change have taken away.
Beyond the Distillery
WOODLAND RESTORATION
Our work does not stop at the boundary of the distillery. Through EcoTree, we support responsibly managed woodland restoration in France, helping diverse forests grow for the long term. These woodlands will remove and store carbon, strengthen biodiversity and support sustainable forestry for generations to come.
CHANGING LANDSCAPES
Some environmental improvements happen immediately. Others take years, even decades. Every tree planted, every juniper established and every botanical grown is an investment in landscapes that will continue supporting wildlife and removing carbon long after today's bottles have been enjoyed.
None of these projects will reach their full potential this year, or even in the next decade. That's exactly why we planted them. We hope they continue growing, supporting wildlife and removing carbon long after we have finished distilling.
LOOKING BEYOND THE DISTILLERY
SUPPORTING CARBON REMOVAL
Our first priority will always be reducing emissions. For those we cannot yet eliminate, we support permanent carbon removal through direct air capture in Iceland. Together with habitat restoration and practical improvements across the distillery, it forms part of our long term climate strategy.
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
There is no finish line, every year presents new opportunities to reduce emissions, restore more habitats and improve the way we work. Some projects deliver immediate results. Others may take decades before their full impact is realised.
What keeps us motivated is knowing that every improvement, however small, moves us in the right direction.
Every bottle begins with the landscape that surrounds us. We believe every bottle should also help protect it.
CONTINUE REDUCING
We will continue challenging every part of the business to lower emissions without compromising the quality and craftsmanship behind every spirit.
CONTINUE RESTORING
We will keep expanding our botanical gardens, supporting woodland restoration and creating habitats that leave the landscape richer than we found it.
CONTINUE LEARNING
We don't have all the answers, often asking others for their thoughts. But we remain committed to measuring our progress, sharing it openly and improving year after year.
LOOKING AHEAD
READ THE EXPLORER'S JOURNAL
See our latest restoration projects, wildlife discoveries and adventures.