Aberfeldy Single Malt Scotch Whisky recently announced the launch of its Gardening Giveback Project in collaboration with Bee Informed Partnership (BIP), a national, non-profit organization dedicated to working with beekeepers across the country to improve honey bee colony health and increase colony survivorship.
Through the Gardening Giveback Project, Aberfeldy and BIP are empowering beekeepers and bartenders across eight cities in the United States (Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco) to plant and maintain community garden-style bee sanctuaries by growing flowers, herbs and vegetables in dual purpose — to foster a healthy environment for bees while also cultivating ingredients that can be used in cocktails. The locally grown ingredients like basil, mint and honey will be used in a brand new cocktail dubbed the Aberfeldy Herbed Honey Smash (seen below), which can be purchased at various bars and restaurants in each city. Aberfeldy has also committed a $10,000 donation to BIP to help support local beekeepers in their research, education and communication efforts to improve honey bee health and sustainability.
Launched on National Honey Bee Day (Aug. 15) and continuing throughout National Honey Month in September, the project builds upon Aberfeldy’s commitment to relieving the plight of honey bees via its Barrels and Bees program, an initiative that supports local beekeepers by partnering with them to feature their honey as the main ingredient in signature cocktails. We recently featured its The Golden Dram, which illustrates how well the flavors interplay.
“So much of Aberfeldy’s story is rooted in its honeyed richness, making honey itself a perfect ingredient for many of our cocktails,” said Aleco Azqueta, Brand Director Single Malts at Bacardi. “We created the Barrels and Bees program to help support local beekeepers and protect these tiny creatures who do so much for our environment, especially given recent data showing some of the highest mortality rates on record. We’re proud to be able to introduce the Gardening Giveback Project this year, as it provides Aberfeldy with another opportunity to drive awareness for this cause we are so passionate about.”
Over the last decade, 1 in 3 managed honey bee colonies have been lost each year as a result of stressors like pests, pathogens, pesticides and poor nutrition due in part to habitat loss. Although dedicated beekeepers have been able to stabilize the U.S. honey bee population by splitting healthy colonies to make up for the continued losses, mortality rates remain high. In order to keep the U.S. honey bee population stable, it is crucial that everyone does their part in giving back to the bees and the professionals who care for them.
“As the single most important pollinator to agriculture, honey bees are a vital component in ensuring we have access to high quality, nutritious fruits, vegetables, and nuts,” Says Geoff Williams, President of Bee Informed Partnership. “We definitely appreciate Aberfeldy supporting our mission and are really excited to help bring the Gardening Giveback Project to life.”
For consumers who want to support the cause but aren’t in one of the eight regions, Aberfeldy is offering a limited-edition, farmer’s market-style cocktail crate (see above) on ReserveBar.com that is comprised of the ingredients needed to create the Herbed Honey Smash at home. Customers will receive a bottle of Aberfeldy 12, seeds to plant their own garnishes that can double as forage, honey bear glassware, tasting spoons, a tasting tray and three different flavors of honey harvested by “The Native Guy” Nick Bofill, who maintains hives on top of Bacardi’s North American headquarters in Miami and is a participating beekeeper in the project. Additionally, customers who purchase the cocktail crate will be provided with exclusive access to a virtual whisky and honey pairing hosted by Bacardi North American Malts Ambassador Holly Seidewand and Bofill on September 17th.
The limited-edition cocktail crate is available on ReserveBar.com for $45.
