Christmas is one of the most indulgent times of the year.

Whether it’s gifting or treating yourself, there are plenty of ways to get luxurious with a lighter footprint - Christmas drinks included.

From transparent distilleries to vegan-friendly beers and organic Champagne estates, the pebble team have rounded up five of the best sustainable alcoholic drinks brands to sip on or gift this festive season.

At pebble, all of our products are independently recommended by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission which goes to help running our publication.

Quick links to pebble’s fave alcoholic drinks brands

• Bruichladdich
• Telmont
• Freedom
• Westland
• Rémy Martin

Why drink sustainably this Christmas

Whether we like it or not, Christmas and consumerism go hand in hand.

The average UK consumer spends approximately £1,100 during the festive season, including presents, travel, food & drink and celebrations.

With the increase in consumption, it’s never been a better time to consider impact and put your money in sustainable businesses that care about the environment.

If you like a Christmas tipple, sustainable alcoholic drinks brands are the way to go.

From employee and community welfare to transparency and improving agricultural practices, it’s easy to find a brand that aligns with your values.

So, here are our five top sustainable drinks brands to celebrate with this Christmas. Cheers!

5 Of The Best Sustainable Alcoholic Drinks Brands For Christmas

1. Best Scotch whisky: Bruichladdich

Based in Islay off the west coast of Scotland, Bruichladdich is the first Scotch whisky distillery to be B Corp certified for its sustainability and community commitments.

First established in 1881, the distillery saw a revival in 2001, focused on re-connecting with the land and community.

The distillery supports sustainable agriculture and biodiversity on farmland. All single use plastic has been removed from the site and most packaging is 100% recyclable.

It’s also committed to spreading the economic benefits of the whisky industry to the people of Islay by providing employment and volunteering opportunities.

The pebble team particularly likes that Bruichladdich is transparent so you know exactly what’s in your whisky from the barley to the distilling process.

Perfect for those who like a dram or two of top-quality Scotch, these whiskies are made using 100% Scottish barley.

Choose from an unpeated single malt, a heavily peated Port Charlotte or the adventurous Octomore 12 (which is also one of our recommended Christmas Gifts: 30 Eco-Friendly Ideas For 2021).

pebble’s verdict

Pros: Traceable and transparent brand | Beautiful bottles | Sustainable packaging

Cons: Expensive

The Unpeated Islay Single Malt range starts from £43.00. View on Bruichladdich.

2. Best sustainable Champagne: Telmont

Telmont has been making Champagne in Nomine Terrae, France, to a high standard since 1912.

Today, it’s one of the most sustainable Champagne estates in the world.

72% of its land is either organic or in conversion with plans to reach 100% by 2025.

All bottles are recyclable and made from 85% recycled glass. There’s a zero air transport policy for supply and distribution.

Plus, it has plans to make all bottles fully traceable and transparent with details about the batches written on their labels.

There are nine Champagnes to choose from, all suitably festive and bubbly with a balanced and long-lasting finish.

Have a chilled bottle or two for Christmas lunch or save it to toast the New Year!

pebble’s verdict

Pros: Committed to sustainable agriculture | Recyclable packaging | Zero air transport policy | Transparent brand | Vegan

Cons: May lack complexity in comparison to some vintage Champagnes

The Réserve Brut NV Champagne is priced at £49.99. View on Selfridges.

3. Best vegan beer: Freedom

Here’s a brewery to get excited about this Christmas.

Located on a farm in Staffordshire, Freedom puts a conscience without compromise in lager.

All beers in its range are 100% vegan-friendly, naturally carbonated and unpasteurised for a great taste that’s ethical too.

Freedom uses its own unique water supply located directly beneath the brewery so there’s no outsourcing needed.

All waste water is recycled through a natural reed bed filtration system before safely returning to the environment.

Read more in our feature: Pint of the good stuff: How this vegan beer is brewed using its environment

Proud to be an independent brewery from the start, Freedom has a choice of craft beers to enjoy including lager and pale ale. Find your favourite in a taster pack.

Celebrate the festive season with 12 or 24 packs or give a beer lover the Xmas Gift Pack featuring beers, a glass and a snack.

pebble’s verdict

Pros: Vegan | Independent brewery | Certified organic

Cons: A little pricey

12 pack of lager is priced at £17.99 (£1.50 per can). Bottles are available too. View on Freedom.

4. Best American single malt whiskey: Westland

If you’re looking for a festive tipple from across the pond, meet one of the leading voices in American Single Malt - Westland Distillery.

In just 10 years, Westland has gone from a Seattle-born start-up to a purveyor of whiskey innovation, taking its place among the top distilleries in the world.

What sets Westland apart is its transparency.

You can see exactly what each bottle is made of and how from the mashing and fermentation to the distillation process.

You can also read through its extensive annual sustainability report on the website with highlights including sustainable barley production, its impact on the community and completing its B Corp Status application.

Westland has recently released a new Outpost Range with Single Malt Whiskeys including Garryana Edition 6, Colere and Solum.

We love Garryana’s palate of cedar, cinnamon, dried apricot and light caramel. Now that’s a festive drink to celebrate with!

Buy Westland

5 Of The Best Sustainable Spirits To Raise A Glass To

pebble’s verdict

Pros: Transparent brand | B Corp status pending | Sustainable ingredient sourcing

Cons: Expensive

Garryana Edition 6 is £160.00. View on Master of Malt.

5. Best luxury cognac: Rémy Martin

Cognac is not just for your Christmas pud.

This fruity French spirit is delicious neat but also makes an excellent twist on classic cocktails from sidecars to an Old Fashioned and a Tom Collins.

pebble’s favourite cognac is Rémy Martin for its luxurious flavour and sustainable commitments.

All of Rémy Martin’s growing partners are committed to sustainable agriculture, with 50% of them achieving a High Environmental Value (HVE) certification.

Rémy Martin also runs training programmes to help winegrowers improve their environmental practices.

Highlights of Rémy Martin’s sustainable agriculture framework include encouraging biodiversity, natural fertilisation and working in partnership with the French National Forests Office to replant more than 115,000 oak trees.

The 1738 Accord Royal Cognac has generous notes of plum and fig marmalade with nutty aromas and butterscotch.

It pairs particularly well with cheese boards and chocolate truffles!

pebble’s verdict

Pros: Committed to responsible agriculture | Beautiful bottles

Cons: Delicate flavour might not be strong enough for some tastes

The 1738 Accord Royal Cognac is £46.00. View on Ocado.

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