The name Nc’nean (pronounced Nc-ne-an, which sounds like Nc-knee-anne) comes from Neachneohain, the Queen of Spirits in Gaelic legend. Neachneohain was a huntress: strong, independent and never afraid to walk her own path. A quiet rebel. She was also a fierce protector of nature.
Annabel started Nc’nean to change the way the world thinks about whisky from Scotland. Her mission was to create a whisky which could exist in harmony with this planet we call home. After leaving her job in London in 2013, she spent four years raising funds and building the distillery from the ground up on the west coast of Scotland. They been distilling since 2017 and they just launched their first ever single malt whisky in 2020.
Nc’nean was founded as the first fully organic modern distillery in Scotland powered by 100% renewable energy. The wood chips for the biomass boiler are sourced from a local forest, while all by-products are recycled as animal and plant feed on Drimin Estate where the distillery is located.
The distillery employs long mashes times and slower fermentation with varying yeast strains not commonly used in distillation. The unusual lamp-glass-shaped stills with have horizontal lyne arms and shell and tube condensers produce a light and fruity spirit, something the brand worked to achieve with the late distilling consultant Jim Swan, who “masterminded the design of the distillery and the base whisky recipe”. The new-make is rich, malty and has plenty of stone fruit. Two dunnage warehouses, located on the hill behind the distillery, feature temperature regulators to allow Nc’nean greater control over the flavour generated in cask over time.
Drimnin Distillery Company
Operational
Scotland
Highland
Single Malt whisky and Botanical Spirit
03-2017
950.000 Liters
The idea to build a distillery on the grounds of the historic Drimnin Estate came to the Lewis family in 2012, some 10 years after they bought and set about restoring the neglected property. The estate itself had once been Maclean clan territory, and formed part of the Drimnin Castle grounds, but was sold by a bankrupt Charles Maclean in the late 18th century. Following a succession of owners and misfortunes – Drimnin House itself burned down in 1849, its owners meeting unrelated yet tragic and untimely deaths – the estate was rebuilt and eventually restored into holiday lets, a cattle farm and conservation area.
By 2013 the Lewis family’s plans to build a distillery in the historic farm buildings adjacent to Drimnin House were well underway, with daughter Annabel Thomas leaving a job in London to manage the project personally as CEO of the newly established Drimnin Distillery Ltd. Following two investment rounds, which included a government grant, the project was finally completed in March 2017.
While Drimnin distillery became the working title for the project, the family and its private investors were keen to separate the business from the rest of the estate. At the start of 2017 the new name Ncn’ean was chosen – Drimnin Distillery Ltd will soon also be renamed Ncn’ean Distillery Ltd – and on 21 March the first spirit was filled into cask. The distillery officially opened to visitors in July.
The first whisky to be released by Ncn’ean distillery is expected in 2020, although a limited number of individual casks are made available to purchase annually.
Sustainability runs in their veins. They believe it is their responsibility to constantly improve their impact on this earth in terms of carbon footprint, pollution and biodiversity. They use organic Scottish barley in a distillery powered by renewable energy and recycle 99.97% of their waste. They plan to bottle their whisky in a 100% recycled clear glass bottle, and this recycled clear bottle is just gorgeous. The plants and blossom painted on the bottle are the local grown plants and weeds around the distillery. Also the whisky is non chill filtered and natural colored.
At this point Nc’ Nean core range is:
A guided walk around the distillery, followed by a tasting of our award-winning Benromach 10 & 15 Year Old whiskies.
DURATION:
DRAMS
COST
You don’t have time for a tour, not to worry. you can still experience Nc’ neans amazing single malts whiskies at their visitors center. Hear their story and explore their range of whiskies with a short tasting.
COST
| Day | Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 10:30 | 15:00 |
| Tuesday | 10:30 | 15:00 |
| Wednesday | 10:30 | 15:00 |
| Thursday | 10:30 | 15:00 |
| Friday | 10:30 | 15:00 |
| Saturday | Closed | |
| Sunday | Closed | |
Times vary by day, to be sure of your visit pre-book a tour here: tours@ncnean.com
