BITTER, SWEET & SUSTAINABLE

“We are very aware of the carbon footprint that tourism and the shipping of spirits and other supplies for The Gin Library leave on the environment. There is no point in working to become the world’s largest gin collection if we don’t also strive to become champions of sustainability at the same time.

Our aim, as well as to have one of the largest collections of gin in the world, is to have the best most sustainable experience for our visitors. The Gin Library is more than a number of bottles. Just as central is about our passion for gin, is to deliver an excellent experience as we talk about our mission to support marine conservation in partnership with The Ocean Azores Foundation.”

Ali Bullock, co-owner of The Solar Branco Eco Estate, The Gin Library, creator of The Ghosts of The Ocean Spirits range and Mother Vaca Vegan Vodka

Sustainability initiatives:

• The Gin Library is solar powered during the daylight hours (as part of the estate-wide solar system)
• The estate has a sophisticated resource monitoring system that enables us to efficiently measure and monitor our use of electricity and water specific to The Gin Library, and identify ways to reduce usage
• Our main edition of Ghosts of the Ocean is made on São Miguel, minimising the carbon footprint
• As we use an existing facility for manufacturing, we have also avoided the carbon footprint that would have been created through the production and transport of equipment for gin making
• Our use of that facility also brings it revenue and helps to support jobs locally
• Our bartop and other tables are made from local reclaimed wood that came down in a storm and base from upcycled steel 
• New bottles for the collection are brought by people already travelling to the Azores on holiday minimising the carbon footprint 
• Local staff employed from the island of São Miguel
• All the artwork in The Gin Library and on our in-house gin brand, Ghosts of The Ocean created by a local artist
• Ghosts of The Ocean (in-house gins) use bottles made of recycled glass and stoppers made from a mixture of cork and activated carbon
• A donation is made  to The Ocean Azores Foundation for each bottle sold
• We aim to educate visitors to The Gin Library about key ocean conservation issues through our in-house developed brand Ghosts of The Ocean and the limited editions we offer
• Every visitor who books a Gin Library experience online  is offered a digital copy of our sustainable whale watching guide, highlighting the best practices and recommended companies for whale watching in the Azores
• As much as possible of our fruit garnish is grown on the estate grounds or sourced from producers in the Azores, and is dehydrated so that we can use them year round 
• Any additional fruits needed come from mainland Portugal (reducing the distance they travel to us)
• We are a proud zero waste bar – All garnishes and botanicals are composted
• Leftover snacks are fed to our chickens
• For our special one-off editions, “Mr Pugsby’s limited edition” features fruits from the Azores that are in season
• Botanicals used as garnishes in our gin and tonics are all grown onsite 
• 100% of glass bottles are reused or recycled
• 100% plastic and paper materials are recycled
• We consciously avoid use of single-use plastic
• The ends from the lemons (our most commonly used garnish used) become the base of our homemade,  limoncello rather than be thrown away
• Trial initiative with Tuka Tula on Sao Miguel to return the bottles of Ghosts of The Ocean to be reused at the distillery

Interested in knowing more. Check out our sustainability work as part of The Solar Branco Eco Estate here