1. Home
2. News

Suntory produces first hydrogen-distilled whisky

This represents the completion of the WhiskHy project, a collaborative effort between Suntory, Supercritical (a UK-based renewable hydrogen technology company) and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).

Thanks to the developments achieved by the project, Supercritical’s electrolyser – which produces high quality green hydrogen – was scaled up from a lab-based technology to an industrially feasible ‘multi-cell’ system.

• Read more: Concha y Toro revenue increase driven by premium sales

The technology has the potential to radically cut the carbon emissions of direct-fired distilling – a traditional method where a direct flame is used to heat the still – if green hydrogen is used.

It was supported by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), as part of the Green Distilleries Programme – targeted at supporting green tech in the sector.

It received a £2.94m award from the government’s £1b Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP).

Supercritical said this support was critical for scaling the technology, where it was proven to be viable through a trial in 2024 (as Harpers reported).

The whisky created is now maturing. Preliminary assessments have shown no notable difference in spirit quality.

Commenting on the project, energy minister Micheal Shanks said: “WhiskHy shows how British innovation and hard graft can turn the promise of clean technologies from the lab to the bar.

“While it might be some time before we can raise a hydrogen produced glass of whisky, this world first shows how the drinks sector can cut emissions, while keeping spirits high and growing the economy.”

Luke Tan, chief product officer at Supercritical, added: “We are incredibly proud of what the WhiskHy partnership has achieved.

“The funding from DESNZ and the collaboration with Suntory Global Spirits and MTC allowed us to accelerate our technology development by years. HM Gov cannot underestimate the value that their support offers novel technologies.

“We hope the UK continues its support of innovation and the green hydrogen sector.”

Suntory and Supercritical have committed to working together again, pursuing investigations into the applications of hydrogen in decarbonising the malt distilling process.

Supercritical is now working towards delivering hydrogen directly to end-users, targeting high-demand industries such as chemicals and fuel, aiming to reduce the nearly one billion tonnes of CO2 those industries produce a year.

• suntory
• Supercritical
• Electrolyser
• Hydrogen
• direct-fired distilling
• DESNZ