Nc'nean Distillery Focus
Nc'nean Distillery: Miak Ahlers
Introduction to Nc'nean Distillery
Nc'nean Distillery takes its name from Neachneohain, the ancient Gaelic Goddess known as the Queen of Spirits, a huntress and fierce protector of nature. It's a distillery that has consistently challenged convention and proven time and time again that exceptional whisky and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive.
A Brief History
Located on the Morvern Peninsula with stunning views of Mull, Nc'nean Distillery was founded by Annabel Thomas in 2017 on her parent's farmland. The mission has always been to make sustainable whisky and in 2021, the distillery became the UK's first certified net zero emissions whisky distillery, 20 years ahead of the Scotch industry target date. A year later in 2022, they became one of two distilleries in Scotland to achieve B Corporation status for their social and environmental standards.
Production Style of Nc'nean Distillery
Nc'nean Distillery is equipped with a one ton semi lauter mash tun and four stainless steel washbacks with a fermentation time between 65 and 115 hours. There is also a 5,000 litre wash still and a 3,500 litre spirit still, both with slightly descending lyne arms and sub coolers. The distillery is powered with 100% renewable energy from a biomass boiler fired by woodchips from a nearby forest and all the trees are replanted.
The liquid generally has a fruity style to it and the team are working on two basic recipes - a "new style" to be enjoyed younger and an "old style" designed for a longer maturation. The distillery is known for experimenting with flavour, for example, their Quiet Rebels series of whiskies, chosen by members of the team, included a stout cask matured whisky and their Huntress series focuses on their experiments with yeast.
Bottling Awards
The first single malt, Ainnir, was released in 2020 which was followed by a core expression which is now bottled in batches and won Gold Medals back-to-back at the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2022 & 2023.
Nc'nean's limited edition release, Quiet Rebels: Simon, won a Gold Medal and the Small Batch Single Malt (Scotch Highlands - No Age Statement) category at the World Whiskies Awards 2026.
Expert Tip
To celebrate the launch of the Cask Trade Tartan in 2026, we bottled a 2018 STR Red Wine Cask from Nc'nean Distillery!
Fact File
Pronunciation: nook-knee-anne
Status: Active
Founded: 2017
Owner: Nc'nean Distillery Ltd.
Region: Highlands
Visitor Centre: Yes
Capacity: 100,000 litres
