The owner of a whisky distillery on a Scottish island has found a way of powering his Nissan Leaf using waste products from the distilling process.

Mark Reynier, who owns the Bruichladdich whisky distillery on the Isle of Islay, established a pioneering Biowayste system earlier this year to produce electricity for the business.

Reynier said: “It was frustrating to be making such strides in being self-sufficient, when my car still needed the most expensive diesel in the UK from the mainland. The arrival of the Leaf has allowed me to be as truly self-sufficient as possible.”

Pot ale, the watery waste product left over from the distilling process, is turned into biogas which powers a generator to create electricity.

Nissan’s corporate sales director, James Douglas, said: “Mr Reynier’s case goes to prove that sustainable motoring is a very realistic proposition. He is one of the many businessmen discovering that the Nissan Leaf can bring very real financial benefits to his company.”

To celebrate, Bruichladdich and Nissan have produced a limited run of bespoke, Leaf-labelled organic whisky.