A Cork scientist is going viral after successfully testing a biofuel he created from whiskey residue in a Ford car in Scotland.

Biobutanol is a new advanced, sustainable biofuel which can be used as a direct replacement for petrol and diesel created from a century old fermentation process that was killed off during the prohibition era.

Professor Martin Tangney from Macroom, Co Cork is producing the fuel from a draff, the sugar-rich kernels of barley, which are soaked in water to facilitate the fermentation process necessary for whiskey production and pot ale, the copper containing a yeasty liquid that is left over following distillation.

Under the watchful eye of the BBC, Martin tested his fuel last week in a standard Ford Focus. 

“This is the first time in history that a car has ever been driven with a biofuel produced from whiskey production residues," he said. 

“It is fitting to do this historic drive in a Ford, as the original Model T cars developed by Henry Ford ran on biofuel.”