A distillery rewriting the rules of Scottish whisky
It takes commitment to reach Nc’nean Distillery. The road winds for miles along a single-track route on the Morvern peninsula, bordered by hills on one side and the Sound of Mull on the other. Then the track climbs and winds one last time and the whitewashed buildings of this distillery appear.
I passed the entrance a few years ago, on my way to see a cleared village at the headland, without even realising it was there.
But amid all the Scottish whiskies jostling for attention, Nc'nean has caught my eye. In just a few years it's extraordinary how much it has already done to redefine how whisky is 'done'.
A Modern Distillery with a nod to the past
Nc'nean was founded in 2013 by Annabel Thomas, who left a City career to create a whisky rooted in sustainability and innovation. After four years of construction and trials, distillation began in 2017, making Nc’nean one of Scotland’s newest whisky producers. The name comes from Neachneohain, a figure in Gaelic legend known as the Queen of Spirits - independent, strong, and unafraid to walk her own path. Could there be a more apt name?
Sustainable Foundations
Nc’nean is, unusually for the Scottish whisky industry, female-led and sustainably-driven. The distillery runs entirely on renewable energy, recycles almost all waste products, and became the first whisky distillery in the UK to release a bottle made from 100% recycled clear glass. Its culture is closer to a modern craft brand than the leather-and-oak, cigar roomed tradition of other whiskies - a deliberate departure. And one thta attracted me to it in the first place.
From Mash to Dram: Touring the Distillery
Our visit began with a coffee with our guide and an introduction to the distillery’s story, before moving through the various stages of production process. The copper stills gleamed in the light, the scent of malt thick in the air. There's a wonderful sense of order and process to a distillery that I love. This leads to this which leads to this next stage... and so on.
We stood by the glass cabinet, beautifully finished with brass fittings to see the first drops of clear spirit flowing. The stills sit beside vast windows that give the perfect view of Mull across the water. These windows, we were told, are also practical as they're designed so the huge copper casks can one day be lifted out by crane when they reach the end of their lives.
Nc'nean's philosophy is simple: whisky making that honours tradition but has a very modern approach and feel.
Whisky and Beyond
The first whisky, the Organic Single Malt, was released in 2020 and quickly made a name for itself both for its sustainability credentials and for its taste. Here was a whisky that could be drunk in the traditional way but also worked well with cocktails. Not something you'd find more traditional brands suggesting or approving of!
The distillery has several small-batch releases and limited editions, each with distinctive artwork and a focus on exploring new flavours.
Alongside whisky, Nc’nean produces an excellent Botanical Spirit, a clear spirit distilled with herbs such as thyme and coriander. It drinks like a gin, but is legally classed as a spirit, and has a refreshing, aromatic twist. We tasted it on the tour with a mixer, I think perhaps a lime soda, anyway it was so good I ended up buying a bottle.
A Taste of the Future
If ever you're in the wilds of Morvern or Mull, consider booking a tour. The tasting session is fun (and went down surprisingly well considering it was 11am). Each glass had a different tale and if you're the designated driver you get given your samples to take with you. Or you can book for the alcohol-free options.
Nc’nean is really interesting demonstration of how one can rebrand a very traditional product. It feels modern, sustainable and has a self-styled rebel image as well as a great tasting product which proves that whisky doesn’t need to be bound by tradition to succeed.
