ABV |
46% |
LOCATION |
Drimnin, Scotland |
TYPE |
Single Malt Scotch Whisky |
MADE BY |
Annabel Thomas, Founder, and distillery team |
COCKTAIL IDEAS |
Highball |
FLAVOUR CAMPS |
Fruity |
Notes of |
  
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ABOUT ME |
Nc’nean describes itself as ‘experimental in nature’, an ethos it takes incredibly seriously through both its sustainability practices and approach to flavour innovation.
From its conception, Nc’nean has always set out to do things a bit differently. The distillery was founded in 2013 by Annabel Thomas, who gave up her fast-paced job in the city of London to return to her family estate on the west coast of Scotland.
She and her family planned to repurpose the historic farm buildings at Drimnin House into a Scotch whisky distillery that would work in harmony with its natural surroundings. They even named the distillery after Neachneohain, an ancient Gaelic goddess known as queen of the spirits and protector of nature.
After four years of fundraising and building, Nc’nean distillery was born. From day one the brand has woven sustainable practices into its operations: the distillery is powered by renewable energy, almost all of its waste is recycled, while its bottles are made from recycled glass. Its whisky is even made from 100% organic Scottish barley.
Just two years after opening, Nc’nean achieved B-Corp status, joining only a few hundred other UK companies prioritising social and environmental practices alongside product quality and profit.
As for its whisky, that organic barley is fermented and distilled slowly to accentuate a mouthwatering fruitiness full of peach, apricot and citrus that’s matured mostly in American oak and STR red wine casks (STR is a treatment process that means shaved, toasted, recharred).
Nc’nean’s inaugural single malt was released in 2020, making its way onto store shelves in small batches. In October 2022 the distillery opted to adapt its flagship recipe slightly as more of its whisky stocks came of age.
This latest release, Batch BU06, contains slightly less whisky matured in STR red wine casks, a little more rested in American oak and introduces oloroso Sherry cask-matured whisky for the first time.
Although the Sherry casks account for just 2% of the final recipe, their impact is apparent, giving Nc’nean’s signature peach, mint and citrusy character a subtle twist of strawberry and chocolate.
True to its experimental ethos, Nc’nean is playing with a variety of yeast strains (think rum and red wine yeasts) and distilling recipes to create a range of spirit styles that are further matured in a variety of casks. Although it will be some time before we see any of these experiments bottled, Nc’nean remains one of the hottest Scotch whisky distilleries to watch.
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