Burnt Earth: Whisky Landscapes of a Post-Peat Scotland

Abstract

Peat is a uniquely carbon-rich soil type, and the bogs where it is found globally sequester twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests. It is also a traditional component of whisky production on the Scottish island of Islay, where smoke from peat-fueled fires imbues grain with a distinct flavor and terroir. Islay and whisky are inextricably linked, but today the island is scarred by trenches where peat has been industrially extracted for global consumption. This thesis explores the remediation of Islay’s destroyed bogland through paludicultural test plots, experimentally growing media for use in the whisky industry and beyond. Exploring the tension between historic preservation and ecological restoration, Islay serves as a case study in adapting cultural practices to address a climate in crisis.