Whisky may not come top of mind when you think of an organic product. Perhaps because the farming element of whisky production is not thought about as much as that of a carrot or the flour which goes into a loaf of bread. Fortunately for the environment, there are a few whisky distilleries producing organic spirit, with us being one of them of course - as everything we produce at Nc’nean is certified organic. 

This barley must be grown with no help from artificial fertilisers or pesticides, and must be certified organic by one of the eight DEFRA approved organic certification bodies in the UK. Instead of relying on artificial help (which contains a lot of chemicals), our farmers use natural fertilisers like livestock manure. They also practice regenerative agriculture to actively improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

Farming organically also protects water quality, enhances the habitats of pollinators, and ensures that soils remain rich and healthy for generations to come.

WHY DO WE CHOOSE TO BE ORGANIC?

We choose to use organic barley for the benefit of soil health, protecting water quality, and preserving flora and fauna. However, an extra bonus that we have also discovered is that the healthier soils mean better quality grains, giving depth of flavour and a lovely creamy texture to our whisky. So, if you taste our whisky alongside other organic whiskies, you should be able to see a similar quality!

HOW COMMON IS ORGANIC WHISKY IN SCOTLAND?

Organic whisky is still relatively rare in the Scotch industry. The traditional emphasis on yield and efficiency means that many distilleries still rely on conventional agriculture. But more and more distilleries are opting for organic barley. 

But there are a few distilleries in Scotland who have chosen to use organic barley in some releases, including Bruichladdich and Benromach, though Nc’nean is still the only distillery that chooses to produce everything organically.

THE COST OF ORGANIC

At Nc’nean our range is fully organic and we hope that other distilleries will soon be the same. It does add a cost of about £3 to each bottle of our whisky because of the higher cost of the barley and also the cost of the extra admin, but it is a cost that consumers are increasingly willing to pay. 

To read more about what we are doing to reduce our environmental impact, you can read our latest sustainability and impact report here. 

When your bottle of Nc’nean comes to an end, do not completely despair! There are great ways to keep it in use by converting our 100% recycled glass bottle into something pretty and practical in your home. 

We have three different types of full size bottles for our whisky at Nc’nean: our blue bottles for limited edition releases, our opaque single cask bottles and our clear flagship and cask strength bottles. Each of the three types look lovely when upcycled so if you fancy extending the lifecycle of your empty bottle here are a few ways you can do so. (Our Botanical Spirit bottles also work well for upcycling too).

1. TABLE LAMP

With the right fitting kit, your empty bottle can be transformed into a beautiful table lamp. The easiest way is with a battery powered light bulb and a lamp shade or fairy lights look great too! We love this photo one of our customers sent in of their own creation. 

2. CANDLE HOLDERS

The bottles also make excellent candle holders that look very elegant. We have some lovely beeswax candles on our website that look great with our empty whisky bottles.  They are made by a company called Oakdale Bees who create their beautiful honeycomb style candles from beeswax from their hives in the wild meadow fields bordering Royal Windsor Forest. They use only British ingredients and use minimal packaging. 

3. VASE

Nc’nean bottles make excellent vases, and work well more minimal arrangements as the necks are fairly narrow. Try filling them with wildflowers, herbs, or single stems of dried flowers too. This also works for our miniature bottles if you have a very small arrangement of flowers!

4. OLIVE OIL POURER

Pop a metal spout into the neck to make a stylish olive oil or vinegar dispenser. The bottle’s weight and shape make it ideal for kitchen use, and it’s a great way to cut down on single-use packaging. Other ways we have seen our bottles used in the kitchen are as rolling pins, or water jugs for dinner parties! (This picture is of our Botanical Spirit as an olive oil pourer but our whisky bottles work well for this too!).

5. REED DIFFUSER

Turn your empty bottle into a natural home fragrance diffuser. Simply fill it with a mix of essential oils and a carrier oil, then add a few reed sticks.

Please do send over any photos of the creative ways you use your bottles after the whisky is finished, we love to see them continuing their lifecycle. Additionally, if you can think of any other ways to upcycle our bottles we would love to hear them.

Also don’t forget that if upcycling isn’t really your thing you can always return the bottles to the distillery using our bottle return scheme with the pre-paid shipping label that comes with all UK website orders.

Hello, Roberto here with some thoughts on one of our favourite activities here at the distillery - Bog Myrtle picking. 

Early August saw Storm Floris hit the west coast, causing all sorts of problems for businesses and locals in the area. The wind howled, trees crashed down, and the power was out for the best part of 48 hours. While our whisky production is fuelled by our biomass boiler, all of our pumps and lighting run on electricity (purchased from the grid on a renewable energy tariff). We can’t work in the dark, so for two days, production ground to a halt here at Nc’nean. This meant the team could busy themselves with a task normally reserved for sunny days when we have a few spare hands…. Bog Myrtle picking!

Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale), also known as sweet willow and Dutch myrtle, is a woody shrub which grows in the acidic, boggy soils of the west coast, and has a gorgeous, spicy scent. It’s traditionally used to ward off the dreaded midgies, but that’s not why we were picking it.

For us, it’s the main botanical we use in our Organic Botanical Spirit. Perfect for mixing with tonic or in cocktails, it’s a truly versatile spirit. While it shares some characteristics with gin, it’s not gin. But why not?

Well, there’s two key points of difference which make our Botanical Spirit unique.

First, while the base spirit of gin is a flavourless, neutral grain alcohol, our Botanical Spirit is made with our organic malted barley spirit, the very same liquid that will become our whisky after cask maturation. This gives a much fuller, more rounded mouthfeel, and provides a malty, fruity backdrop to which we’ll add our botanicals.

Second, for gin, the predominant flavour must be juniper. While we do source organic juniper for our Botanical Spirit, the primary botanical is the bog myrtle that we forage right on our doorstep. So the result is a mix of traditional gin flavours balanced by the warm and spicy aromas sourced from plants we can find around the distillery – sorrel, heather, lemon thyme, and our friend, bog myrtle.

So, back to the picking.

Four of the team put their wellies on and ventured down to the coast where the bog myrtle flourishes in the peat bogs, swaying in the salty sea air. There’s always some healthy competition among the team on foraging days: each of the picker’s harvest will be weighed, and no one wants to come back with the smallest sack.

We were looking for 8 kilos (wet weight) of bog myrtle for our next batch of Botanical Spirit, which will then be dried under our stills before sending off to Beinn an Tuirc, a sustainable distillery on the Kintyre peninsular, for redistillation with our malt spirit (we can’t put plants in our pot stills here at Nc’nean!)

Top prize this time goes to Douglas, one of our distillers, who managed to pick more than three kilos of the fragrant leaves, despite the gale force winds slowing him down.

The storm’s passed now, and we’re all back to work. The stills are back on, and spirit is flowing once again. When the sun makes an appearance, we’ll all settle down for a Botanical Spirit and tonic.

WHAT IS A CARBON FOOTPRINT?

Put simply, a carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide) that are released into the atmosphere as a result of human activity. That includes everything from heating buildings to transporting goods and even growing our food. 

WHY IT MATTERS

Measuring a carbon footprint allows individuals, businesses, and governments to understand the environmental impact of their choices. If you can measure it, you can manage it - which is an essential step in taking accountability and tackling climate change. 

HOW TO MEASURE A CARBON FOOTPRINT

Measuring carbon footprints can be complex and detailed, so to help, emissions are broken down into three categories which are used globally. Scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions are categories used to account for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across an organization’s supply chain. These definitions come from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the most widely used global standard for carbon accounting.

Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned sources (e.g. boilers, fuel for company owned vehicles).

Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity/energy.

Scope 3: All other indirect emissions. This includes the manufacturing of products and supply of raw materials, transport and haulage, staff travel, disposal of distillery waste, and the distribution, storage, and disposal of all of our products.

- WHY WE DO IT

Reducing carbon emissions isn’t just about the data and the numbers. It’s about protecting ecosystems and the planet we call home, building a more resilient business, and responding to what you, our customers, increasingly care about. We know that environmental responsibility and innovation can go hand in hand, and we are proud of our journey so far.

- HOW WE DO IT

At Nc’nean, our distillery is verified net zero carbon emissions (scopes 1 and 2).

Here is how we have achieved this:

Our stills are powered by 100% renewable energy (biomass), and the boiler is powered by local wood chips. 

Our tractor and chipper are powered by certified HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) which lowers the emissions from the exhaust by 90%.

We buy 100% renewable electricity, which is generated from wind farms. 

We then offset the small amount of carbon emissions left in scopes 1 and 2 via purchasing carbon credits through Highland Carbon.  

- WHAT'S NEXT?

The next step is becoming verified net zero for scope 3, which is something we are working hard on. We will keep you posted with our progress through our annual sustainability report, which highlights the progress we are making and the areas we still need to work on. You can click here to read the latest report, with more information about our carbon footprint on pages 4-8. 

In Roberto’s last blog post, we explored how each stage in our production process impacts the character of our whisky. Dozens of factors contribute to our fruit-forward flavour profile, and as you zoom in on any one aspect, a dozen more micro-factors come into view.

One of these aspects is yeast, and as part of our experimental philosophy at Nc’nean we want to explore the impact of yeast on the flavour of our new make spirit and our matured whisky. So, each year we carry out things that we call ‘yeast trials‘ - the topic of Roberto‘s blog today.

WHAT IS YEAST AND WHY IS IT USED IN WHISKY MAKING?

Yeast is a crucial ingredient in whisky making. Is a single-celled fungus and its role is to ferment sugars into alcohol. Yeast also produces flavour compounds that shape the whisky’s taste.

At Nc’nean we experiment with different yeast strains, often using strains that aren’t commonly used in whisky making - this process is called a yeast trial. In addition to creating varying flavour compounds, different yeast strains produce different alcohol yields and fermentation speeds which the distillers also have to take into account when running the trials.

Adding yeast in the fermentation stage

HOW WE DO YEAST TRIALS

We take samples of our sugary wort (the liquid which gets created during the mashing phase) and put them into ten 10-litre buckets, ensuring the sugar content in each bucket is the same.

We then add a different combination of yeasts to each bucket, including one or both of our ‘house’ yeasts (those we use in our flagship whisky recipe), plus another experimental strain. These experimental strains can range from yeasts derived from Champagne production, to yeasts specifically created for rum, beer or wine production – essentially we want to test anything which isn’t produced for whisky!

After two weeks, the yeast has turned most of the sugar in the wort to alcohol and has had time to ‘clean up’, gobbling up everything it can digest and producing characteristics specific to each strain.

Fermentation process in the washback

HUNTING FOR NEW FLAVOURS IN WHISKY MAKING

In 2024, we trialled a range of different brewing (beer) yeasts: Old English Ale, Hornindal Kveik and Hefeweizen. The Old English yeast left a fair amount of residual sugar, which in a beer would give a fuller mouthfeel, and produced notes of toffee and dark fruits. The Kveik and the Hefeweizen both worked nicely, giving us good attenuation (the amount of sugar converted to alcohol), but the flavours varied massively. While the Kveik was bursting with tropical fruit esters, the Hefeweizen leaned towards banana with a spicy, clovey background.

In the end, we just couldn’t decide, so we used both. Two weeks of full-scale production using Kveik yeast, and two weeks with the Hefeweizen. In the years to come, the casks of these whiskies will be sampled and, when ready, most likely incorporated into our annual Huntress release, our series of whiskies dedicated to experimentation and hunting for unique flavours in whisky making

In previous years, we’ve experimented with rum yeast, red and white wine yeast, American and Belgian ale yeasts, and the list goes on…

OUR FIRST EVER YEAST TRIAL

This year’s Huntress release, Lemon Meadow, was the result of our first ever yeast trial in 2017. Here we experimented with wine yeasts: one used for Chardonnay and one derived from Champagne production. Again, both produced different flavours. The Chardonnay yeast gave notes of passionfruit and grapefruit, while the Champagne strain was buttery, biscuity and citrussy, albeit with a slightly lower alcohol yield. In the end, we opted for the Champagne yeast. The lower yield was more than compensated for by the quality of the spirit after distillation.

Comparing our flagship Organic single malt with Huntress Lemon Meadow, the results are clear. While the cask make-up of these two expressions is nearly identical, the bright lemon, biscuity notes in the Huntress contrast with the subtle stone fruits with citrus and rye bread of our flagship expression, and this difference is primarily down to the yeast. The flavours we created during fermentation persisted through distillation and maturation, all the way to the bottle.

Taste them side by side and see the difference for yourself.

A little known fact is that peatlands cover only 3% of the Earth’s land surface but store 600 gigatons of carbon which is more than all of the world’s forests combined. This means peatlands are one of the largest natural carbon sinks on the planet making them an absolutely vital resource in our fight against climate change.

WHAT IS PEAT?

If you have ever visited a Scottish whisky distillery or if you’re clued up on all things carbon restoration, you may have heard of peat before. 

Peat is a type of soil material made up of partially decomposed organic matter, mainly plant material such as mosses, grasses, and shrubs. It forms in waterlogged environments where there is low oxygen like bogs and swamps, where decomposition happens very slowly. However, as with other natural carbon sinks like forests for example, peat has historically been used as a fuel source, especially in regions like Ireland, Scotland and parts of Scandinavia. It is also has other uses, commonly for compost for gardening, though this is being phased out in the UK. 

Image credit Farm Advisory Service

PEAT IN WHISKY PRODUCTION

In addition to being used as a fuel source, peat is often used in Scotch whisky production. Some Scotch whiskies, including those from Islay, are famous for their smoky, peaty taste, which comes from drying barley over burning peat. Since peatlands are such fantastic carbon sinks, the method of burning peat is not great for the planet: peatlands take an extremely long time to form, store tons of carbon, and support wildlife habitats and so burning them both harms the local environment and releases that all important stored carbon back into the air. 

Since part of our mission at Nc’nean is to pioneer sustainable production of whisky, this means that we choose not to use any peat in our production. So for the time being, we don’t have any smoky flavoured whiskies. Peat isn’t the only way to create a smoky flavour though, and we are fascinated by distilleries creating smoky flavours using other less carbon intensive initiatives. For example, Thy in Denmark is using beechwood smoke, and Moon Harbour in France is smoking Seaweed to produce their whisky. That being said, there is no smoke without fire, and although beechwood and seaweed aren’t locking in the same amount of carbon as peatlands, setting anything alight is always releasing carbon into the atmosphere. 

Though we stand against using peat, we recognise and respect the heritage associated with using it in whisky making, which is a tradition rooted in rural Scottish life and closely tied to the landscapes where peatlands are more abundant. We understand that some Scottish distilleries continue to use peat as part of their traditional whisky making process, and stopping this would change their whole distillery character. Impressively and rightly so, many are now taking steps to reduce their environmental impact - distilleries such as Bowmore and Laphroaig, for example, are actively engaged in peatland restoration initiatives, including practices like replacing top layers of peat to support the regeneration of these vital ecosystems.

INITIATIVES TO RESTORE PEAT IN SCOTLAND

Despite the longstanding tradition of extracting peat to use as a fuel source, Scotland has made significant progress in peatland restoration in recent years. This has been supported by a £250 million government commitment to restore 250,000 hectares by 2030. This work is led by the Peatland ACTION programme, coordinated by NatureScot in partnership with organisations such as Forestry and Land Scotland, Scottish Water, and Scotland’s national park authorities. 

Restoration efforts focus on re-wetting damaged peatlands, blocking artificial drains, and reshaping degraded areas to improve carbon storage, water quality, and flood resilience. These initiatives not only support Scotland’s climate goals but also create rural employment and enhance biodiversity across some of the country’s most ecologically important landscapes.

Image credit Highland Conservation limited

The good news is that if you’re not into smoky flavours then you can just avoid peated whiskies altogether and instead opt for whiskies from Speyside or the Lowlands which are often fruitier or floral, or of course any of our whiskies at Nc’nean!

Here on the Morvern peninsula, we’re lucky to have stunning views and scenery all year round, and on top of that, there’s lots of amazing wildlife too. This is thanks to the peninsula’s remote location and diverse habitats plus the relatively low human impact. From woodlands and peat bogs to rugged shoreline and moorlands, the peninsula supports a range of species that are increasingly rare elsewhere in the UK. Spotting them is always a great reminder of the importance of protecting nature and existing in harmony with our surroundings. 

RED SQUIRRELS

Slowly but surely, over the last couple of years, the local population of red squirrels has been increasing thanks to the rewilding charity Trees for Life. Scotland's highlands and islands are the last main UK stronghold safe from grey squirrels and the Morvern peninsula is proving an ideal habitat for the reds to thrive thanks to the large areas of uninterrupted woodland. After the charity’s successful release of 21 red squirrels on the peninsula a few years ago, twelve more were released in 2024. The hope is that eventually, the reds should be able to move right around the coast to the neighbouring Ardnamurchan peninsula.

BASKING SHARKS

Basking sharks are the second-largest fish in the world, growing up to 10 meters long and can be spotted in the peninsula’s surrounding waters including in the sound of Mull. Sightings are most frequent in the summer months between May and August. Despite their size, they are harmless filter-feeders, eating only plankton. Lochaline Boat Charters who are the local diving experts are very clued up when it comes to Basking Shark sightings. On their diving trips you can sometimes find yourself swimming alongside one of the Basking Sharks and the Sound of Mull is one of the best places to do so in Scotland. So if you fancy a diving trip with the chance of spotting one of the sharks you can check out their website here.

Image credit Basking Shark Scotland

WHITE TALED SEA EAGLE AND GOLDEN EAGLE

Morvern is one of the best places in the UK to spot Golden Eagles, they can often be seen soaring above the hills. White Tailed Sea Eagles are also increasingly common on the peninsula and can be spotted along the coastal cliffs and sea lochs. They are the largest bird of prey in the UK with a wingspan up to 2.5 meters.

ORCA

Very occasionally, Orca can be spotted off the coast of the peninsula. The latest sighting from the peninsula that we know of was in July 2024 of two killer whales, named John Coe and Aquarius. They belong to Scotland's only remaining resident orca pod. John Coe, the biggest of the two orcas, is around 60 years old and is easily identified by the missing chunk out of his tail fluke (believed to be caused by a shark attack). They have a distinctive eye patch orientation and are about a meter larger than any other orca group in the Northeastern Atlantic.

Image credit Basking Shark Scotland

WILDCATS

Drimnin has a rare population of Scottish wildcats which are sadly facing extinction. Wildcats, sometimes referred to as ‘the highland tiger’ also have a tie in with our distillery team. During the 2020 lockdown, a sick wildcat kitten found in a garden and after conservationists had been consulted, the kitten was offered to the brilliant Simon and Sarah Hewitt, two of our Quiet Rebels here at the distillery.

They adopted the kitten, named Taz, and cared for him until he was old enough to roam safely. DNA tests showed he’s 57% wildcat, with fully wild grandparents, but not wild enough for breeding programs. Now, Taz enjoys the best of both worlds - freedom to explore and a warm home to return to. He’s independent, clever, a bit grumpy, and deeply loved - a living piece of Scotland’s natural heritage!

Taz the Wildcat

OTTERS

Otters can be seen in and around sea lochs or around the coast all across the peninsula, it just requires a bit of patience! They can also sometimes be spotted from kayaking trips. You can find more info about kayaking trips on the Morvern peninsula here.

Hopefully if you make a trip to the peninsula you can spot some of the wildlife mentioned above whilst avoiding our least favourite wildlife species- the midges!

At Nc’nean we are on a mission to encourage more people to embrace whisky as a delicious and versatile spirit. One way we do this is to try and “bring whisky further up the menu”. We are firm believers that whisky should not just be confined to the end of a menu or meal, but can be enjoyed as an aperitif, as part of a tasting menu or with a dessert. 

Our favourite of all of these occasions though is the aperitif. It’s been part of European culture since the 19th century and is inspired by herbal drinks enjoyed in ancient Greece and Rome, their purpose was to aperire (Latin for "open") the appetite. Over time, the aperitif became a popular ritual: a moment to pause at the end of a day and prepare for the meal ahead. A ritual that we think whisky is perfect for.

Uninhibited by tradition, our house style of whisky is elegant and fruity, which we achieve by focusing our time on producing a clean and fruity tasting spirit even before it goes into a cask. Once matured, it produces a style of whisky which works incredibly well as a pre-dinner drink. If you want to find out more about how we make whisky, click here.

And the proof is in the pudding (or perhaps the starter!), as according to our annual consumer survey, there has been a 15% increase between 2021 and 2024 in people enjoying whisky as an early evening serve. 

Our favourite way to let our whisky shine as an aperitif is in a very easy to make Whisky and Soda highball, which we call a Whisky Six.

1. WHISKY SIX

Our whisky stands up incredibly well to soda water, due to its silky texture which comes from our use of organic barley. This means it makes for an excellent light, refreshing and almost creamy highball. This cocktail recipe is one we love so much that we have printed it on the side of our bottle.

Ingredients

2 parts Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky (50ml)
4 parts soda water (100ml)
Mint sprig to garnish

Method

Fill a glass with cubed ice and add all the ingredients. Gently stir then garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

2. NEAT OR ON THE ROCKS

Our flagship Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky is fruity and elegant and perfect as a pre dinner drink neat or over ice. With delicious flavours of lemon posset, peach and apricot and spiced rye bread, It is a firm favourite for new to whisky drinkers and seasoned whisky drinkers love it too.

3. ROB ROY

This cocktail is a delicious balance of sweet, bitter and zest and works exceptionally well with our flagship single malt whisky.

50ml Organic Single Malt Whisky

20ml sweet vermouth

2 dashes bitters (any bitters- Angostura or Peychaud’s are great)

2 dashes orange bitters if you have them

Cocktail cherry garnish

-

Method

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, then fill with cubed ice and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, then garnish with a cocktail cherry.

4. AULD MAID

This refreshing cocktail combines cucumber, mint and lime. It looks elegant and is a perfect palette cleanser.

Ingredients

50ml Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky

20ml lime juice

20ml 1:1 sugar syrup

8 mint leaves

2 cucumber slices

Cucumber spiral to garnish

Method

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, then fill with cubed ice and shake hard for 12 seconds. Strain in a rocks glass filled with cubed ice, then garnish with a cucumber spiral.

5. THE HUNTRESS

And for those of you who are on the cusp of their new whisky journey, but not ready to jump in head first, why not try one of our Botanical Spirit cocktails.

Ingredients

60ml Botanical Spirit

10ml dry white wine, (e.g. Chablis Sauvginon Blanc, Picpoul de Pinet, etc)

10ml elderflower cordial, Lemon twist to garnish

Method

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, then fill with cubed ice and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, then garnish with lemon twist.

So there you have five different ways to enjoy Nc’nean from the beginning of the evening, not just the end! For more cocktail inspiration for our flagship whisky and Organic Botanical Spirit, click here.

Hello, Roberto here, one of the distillers at Nc’nean. As a new pioneering distillery, we’ve only been distilling since 2017, so I’m here to give you a run down on how we make our younger whisky so delicious, and debunk some of the myths that older whisky (spirit that has been sat in a cask for 10+ years) always tastes better. 

We believe (and can prove!) that whisky doesn’t have to be old to be delicious. By putting time, money and effort into making a great spirit, and investing in fantastic quality casks, you can make a great whisky that is considerably younger than 10 years old.

If you’ve ever been to a whisky tasting or spent time in the company of keen whisky drinkers, you’ve probably heard something along the lines of ‘Did you know that 80% of a whisky’s flavour comes from the cask it’s matured in?’. Or 70%. Or 90%. Or any other high number. I’ve heard so many different percentages I’m starting to think they’re being plucked out of thin air! Essentially, ‘flavour is only about the cask’ is the takeaway message. 

Casks are crucial, no doubt. Whisky can’t be made without them. But statements like this imply that the quality of the spirit before it’s filled to cask is of little importance, and all that matters is which cask and how long the whisky has been spent in there. In our view, nothing could be further from the truth. Typically younger whisky also tends to have different characteristics, generally brighter, fresher, not over-oaked. Some older distilleries still choose to bottle some of their spirit at a younger age to access these flavours, take Bruichladdich for example, they tend to bottle Octomore as a five year old.

At Nc’nean, we want to bottle our flagship whisky at a younger age (on average around five years old), so we’ve tailored our processes to derive as much deliciousness as possible from our raw ingredients before the spirit ever touches oak. 

To find out how we do it, let’s start right at the top.

Well, not quite. Water would be the top, but you’ve probably heard enough about ‘the purest Highland spring water’ to last a lifetime. Our water comes from a spring in the Highlands, true, and it is very pure, but we don’t claim that it imparts any discernible flavours to our whisky.

What comes next would be our malted barley, and that’s where the flavour journey really begins.

100% ORGANIC MALTED BARLEY

All our barley is organically grown, and it all comes from Scotland – specifically Fife and Aberdeenshire. Surprisingly, it’s not a requirement of Scotch whisky to use Scottish barley, we could source it from Canada, Europe, England, anywhere really, but we stick closer to home - both to support local farming and to reduce road miles.

Organic barley is better for the environment. No artificial fertilisers or chemical pesticides mean that our farmers need to intersperse barley-growing years with grazing years, growing grass to feed cattle who in turn fertilize the fields, improving soil health and preserving the vitality of our waterways. The biodiversity enabled by eschewing pesticides causes the barley to grow the way nature intended, protecting itself from competing plants and bugs. This stress reaction produces antioxidants which are known to improve the flavour. Just think of an organic carrot compared to a regular one. Which one would you say tastes more carroty? We believe that organic barley provides more depth of flavour, complexity and translates to a beautiful silky texture in the end spirit, as well as being better for the planet.

MASHING

With all the focus on casks, the role of things like yeast, mash length and fermentation times can often be overlooked.

We start with resting our mash for a full hour after mashing in (see A Day in the Life – Mashing for a full breakdown of the process). The conversion of starch to sugar doesn’t need an hour, but this rest allows us to extract as much flavour from our organic malt as possible. Then, before we draw the wort to one of our washbacks, we recirculate for around 30 minutes, clarifying the wort as it filters through the grain bed. A clear wort is vital for a bright, fruity spirit coming off the stills, which is exactly what we’re looking for. By contrast, a cloudy wort would yield a heavier, oilier spirit, which is fine, but it’s not Nc’nean.

FERMENTATION

Then comes yeast. This magical fungus doesn’t just eat sugar and give us alcohol. Nutrients in the wort are metabolized by the yeast, producing flavour compounds which are collectively known as congeners. These provide the fresh apple and banana character of our wash, which carries through to the aroma and flavour of our whisky.

Importantly, different strains of yeast produce different flavours. For our flagship recipe we use two yeasts to produce both the alcohol and flavour profile we’re looking to achieve during fermentation, and we delve deeper during the yeast trials (including using those produced for champagne, rum or wine production) for our annual Huntress release. 

DISTILLATION

Our distillation process doesn’t really add flavour so much as it refines and purifies what we’ve created during fermentation.

Our lantern-shaped stills have broad necks which encourage reflux, where a portion of the vapours cool within the still and drip back down into the liquid to be distilled again, adding lightness and purity to our new make spirit. We distil slowly to maximize copper contact in the stills, and ensure our spirit is collected below 20°C to preserve the vibrant fruitiness of our spirit.

CUT POINTS

Our ‘heart’ cut (the liquid we take off to be matured) is narrow and high, meaning we collect spirit that is fruity and elegant on the palate, with notes of green apple, cut grass and stone fruits. The flavours we produced in the washbacks carry through to the spirit, which will be softened and refined during cask maturation.

CASKS

Now, once our new make is already bursting with flavour, we can fill our casks to nurture the spirit until it’s ready to emerge as whisky. For our flagship expression, we primarily use a combination of ex-bourbon and STR (shaved, toasted, recharred) red wine casks.

Our bourbon-matured whisky retains much of our new make spirit’s character – elegant and clean with an oaky warmth, subtle notes of coconut, toffee and a dry finish. The STRs are more impactful, bringing jammy red fruits and softening the edges, providing texture. A tiny bit of sherry cask whisky adds the finishing touches, an understated, gentle spice to marry everything together.

Each cask will mature for three to six years before being selected for our flagship whisky recipe, by which time the casks have had a chance to add their influence, but not so long that our spirit is hidden beneath layers and layers of oak. We want our spirit to shine.

It is for all of these reasons that our whisky has been described as having "a maturity beyond its years" by Simon Difford the Founder of the Difford’s Guide. Additionally the Whisky Sponge review by Thijs Klaverstijn of their Nc'nean five year old bottling remarked that the whisky has "a slightly more mature profile than you’d expect based on its age," emphasizing its "good balance between sweet and fresh notes". 

Here at the distillery we are very fortunate to be situated on one of the most beautiful peninsulas that the west coast of Scotland has to offer. The Morvern peninsula is remote and sparsely populated but there is so much to do to make the most of the beautiful scenery and dramatic coastline. We have pulled together a list of nine things to do to make the most of what this local landscape has to offer. To check out our favourite places to stay on the peninsula click here or for our ideal west coast food and drink trip click here.

1. HIKING AMONG THE HILLS OF MORVERN

The hills of Morvern are dense with trees and walks are beautiful all year round with breathtaking views and wildlife. At the very end of the peninsula you can often spot otters or if you are more of a history buff there is a great eight mile walk with stunning sea view that takes you to Ardtornish Castle. It is a 13th century castle which once served as the seat of the MacDonald Lordship of the Isles. The website Wild about Lochaber is great for walks inspiration and local tips. 

2. WILD FORAGING WITH CLARE HOLOHAN

If you are heading out on a walk it is worth having Clare Holohan in tow. Clare is a local foraging expert and author of Scotland’s Wild Medicine. She runs West Highland Herbal in Lochaline, specialising in herbal medicine, consultations, walks and retreats. On walks Clare talks through the various tasting profiles and medicinal properties of the abundant plants, shrubs and berries on the peninsula, including Broad Leaved Dock, Bog Myrtle, Rosebay Willowherb, Sorrel, Meadowseet and Round Leaved Plantain. Clare is also a great advocate for the benefits of connecting with nature for health which is always nice to be reminded of.

3. VISIT NC'NEAN!

While on the peninsula, come and visit us for a full guided tour of our distillery in Drimnin to understand more about our innovative, experimental and sustainability driven distillery. We offer classic, private and specific sustainability tours. On the tour you will have the chance to sample some of our spirits, look around the distillery and take in the beautiful views across the sound of Mull. On a sunny clear day we can see the coloured houses of Tobermory across the water. Our team is small and is very very busy so please make sure you book in advance for tours and tastings as they are by appointment only. 

4. THE WHITEHOUSE

At the end of the day we recommend dinner in The Whitehouse. This restaurant is well-loved for their delicious locally sourced menu showcasing sustainable ingredients and the best of Scottish produce. This is the go to restaurant for locals and our team and we always recommend it to visitors who come to the distillery. (You can also head to Achnacriche for a lovely afternoon tea, but remember to pre-book).
Image credit: Sophie Gerrard

5. THE HAYMAN GALLERY

Our closest neighbour to the distillery is local artist Alan Hayman, who is based just down the path from us towards the shoreline. He shares the same views over the Sound of Mull as us and it is these views along with the scenery across the peninsula and further afield around Scotland that inspires his beautiful oil paintings. If you have visited us before you may have noticed a few of his paintings of local scenery in our stillhouse and bar. His studio and gallery, which displays a stunning array of his paintings, is open from 10:30am to 4pm on weekdays from April to October and is just a few minutes walk from us.

Image credit: Alan Hayman Art

6. TAKE A TRIP FROM MORVERN TO MULL

The beautiful isle of Mull is worth visiting for a day or a few if you get the chance. You can get the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Fishnish from Lochaline harbour, and, the crossing takes just ten minutes. Then head to Tobermory which is the island’s main town, with great places for super fresh seafood including Café Fish. The Mishnish is a great sailor’s pub which dates all the way back to 1869 and is well worth the visit. Additionally, there are lots of beautiful white sand beaches on Mull which are worth a visit rain or shine - you can see some of the best ones here.

Image credit: Andrea Thompson

7. MUSIC CONCERT AT ST COLUMBA'S CHAPEL

To promote music and the arts here on the peninsula, back in 2005 the St. Columba’s Trust was established. The trust enables professional musical ensembles from all over the world to come and practice in peaceful, inspiring surroundings. The residencies provide accommodation and coaching and at the end of their stay the ensembles perform for the local community and visitors in the beautiful St.Colomba’s chapel. These performances take place a few times throughout the year so you can check out whether there is one that ties in with your visit here. To book seats for the concert you can get in touch via email. There is no charge for these performances, but the trust appreciates a donation to help support future concerts and residencies.

8. DIVING IN SOME OF THE UK'S BEST WATERS

The waters surrounding Lochaline are home to some of the best diving spots in the British Isles. The Sound of Mull is a post-glacial channel which is about thirty kilometers long, three kilometers wide and 130 meters deep. It makes such an excellent diving location because, in addition to the waters being surrounded by some of the country’s most impressive scenery, there are several famous wrecks to explore. One of these wrecks, Shuna, is renowned for how in-tact the ship remains nearly 100 years after it sank (luckily all of the crew on the ship which was going to Sweden managed to escape). Lochaline Boat Charters who are the local diving experts have become well known for the delicious meals that are whipped up post dive. You can also sometimes also sometimes find yourself swimming alongside Basking Sharks on your dive. So if you fancy learning more about diving in the area, click here for more details.

9. MORVERN GAMES

If you are here in July, there is also the Morvern Games & Gala Week each year. It is a super fun few days and worth incorporating to your visit if you’re heading into the peninsula at the same time. The event features Highland games, a regatta, guided walks, ceilidh nights, and a producers market, celebrating local culture and community. If you happen to be planning a trip here earlier in summer, there is a midsummer ceilidh on the 21st of June 2025 at the local Drimnin hall. 

So there you have some of our favourite things to do on the peninsula, we hope to see you here soon!

What is the Huntress series? The Huntress series is one of our limited edition whisky series that we release each year in the UK springtime (usually in April). This series is centred around the ethos of discovery and our passion for hunting for unique flavours in whisky making. It brings to life our dedication to innovation and experimentation in spirit production.

The series name is a nod to our namesake, Neachneohain, the queen of spirits in ancient Gaelic legend. A goddess of the hills, the rivers, and the moon, and most of all a huntress who was never afraid to walk her own path.

WHY DOES THIS SERIES EXIST?

We are spirit nuts. When Annabel started Nc’nean, she wanted experimentation to be at the forefront. To innovate within spirit production as well as cask maturation. Yes, maturation is critical, but our passion is really for the spirit that comes straight off the still. Although all of our whiskies start with our silky, pure and fruity tasting spirit, we launched the Huntress series to shine a particular light on the spirit side of whisky making, along with heroing experimentation. It’s a series which we get particularly excited about.

It is our time to really get into the technical side of things, and go all out with experimentation - we use methods such as trailing different yeasts not commonly used in whisky production and changing cut points on our spirit runs. The point of running these experiments is to hunt for new, unique and delicious flavours in the spirit that comes straight off the still (called new make), and showcase how this can translate right through to the glass after maturation. 

HUNTRESS QUICK FACTS

The Huntress whisky comes in our blue bottles which we use for the two limited edition series: The Quiet Rebels series and The Huntress series.

All Huntress bottlings so far have been bottled at 48.5% abv but this could change in the future.

We didn’t give the first Huntress release a name, we simply called it Huntress 2022 and then we began to name each release from 2023. 

HUNTRESS 2022

Tasting notes: Rich minerality, Tropical fruits, Honeycomb

Cask Mix: 39% ex-American Whiskey casks, 61% STR red wine casks

Release Story: Our 2022 release is the first, featuring one of our yeast trials. Yeast is fundamental to making whisky; creating not just alcohol, but also the most intriguing flavours. Unconventionally, this whisky has been created using three yeast varieties, including one commonly used in rum production. It imparts a rich minerality with enhanced tropical fruit flavours and a honeycomb sweetness.

Availability: Sold out directly from us, only a few bottles of this release remaining, found with specialist retailers like The Whisky World where purchases of this Huntress expression are limited to one bottle per customer.

More info: Huntress 2022 batch details. To find out more about our yeast trials from our founder Annabel click here.

HUTNRESS WOODLAND CANDY

Tasting notes: Creamy toffee, forest fruits, herbal spice

Cask Mix:  35% ex-American Whiskey casks, 65% STR red wine casks

Release Story: This 2023 release, Woodland Candy, is bold and creamy - flavours of buttery toffee, forest fruits and a touch of herbal spice. It’s the first time we’ve launched a whisky which features a special four yeast recipe. The introduction of red and white wine yeasts add a riot of flavour and aroma, reminiscent of our home on the wild and magical west coast of Scotland. 

Availability: there are still some remaining Huntress Woodland Candy bottles on select retailers websites including at Selfridges here.

More info: Huntress Woodland Candy batch details. To find out more about this release you can check out this online tasting with founder Annabel and blender Matt. 

HUNTRESS ORCHARD COBBLER

Tasting notes: Cherry Bakewell, apricot marmalade, vanilla custard and a side of peppermint tea

Cask Mix: 66% ex-American Whiskey casks, 31% STR red wine casks, 3% ex-sherry casks.

Release Story: This release is all about us being spirit nuts. Maturation is critical, but our passion is really for the spirit that comes straight off the still. The spirit in Huntress Orchard Cobbler is unique, in that it only gets produced once a year when we cross over from one distillation recipe to another. It brings incredibly jammy warming and homely flavours reminiscent of one of our favourite fruit puddings.

Availability: Sold out on our UK website but available via independent stockists. Click here to shop if you are in the US.

More info: click here for the YouTube link to catch up and learn all about our journey creating this spirit. For batch details, click here.

HUNTRESS LEMON MEADOW

Tasting notes: lemon sorbet, fresh chamomile and all butter shortbread

Cask mix: 56% STR red wine casks, 42% ex-American whiskey casks, 2% ex-Oloroso sherry casks

Release story: This release heroes our passion for fermentation experiments. The buttery, citrusy, biscuity notes come from our use of a yeast derived from French sparkling wine production

Availability: click here to shop on our UK website, this release will be available internationally soon. To stay in the loop with exact release dates, sign up to our UK / Europe newsletter here or if you are in the USA you can sign up here.

More info: for Huntress Lemon Meadow batch details, click here.

What is the Quiet Rebels series? Well let's start with The Quiet Rebels. They are our team of eco-conscious drink fanatics on a mission to bring together a new generation of Scotch drinkers.

More than half of us are based here on the Morvern peninsula and the rest are further afield, dotted throughout the UK including a few in London, and even one in Paris, to spread the word about Nc’nean far and wide. 

The team’s roles all vary hugely from producing our delicious whisky, to marketing it, to selling it, to monitoring and improving its sustainability. But we are all united under the mission - to create delicious spirits with the planet we call home firmly in mind.

WHAT IS THE QUIET REBELS SERIES?

The Quiet Rebels series is a series of whiskies made up of limited edition releases that launch in the Scottish autumn each year (usually in October). Each year, one of these limited edition releases is curated by one of our team members themselves. Often maturation focused, the individual chooses their favourite casks to mature whisky in and releases the bottling under their own name. For example, Quiet Rebels Annabel, Quiet Rebels Lorna, Quiet Rebels Gordon, and Quiet Rebels Amy.

When the time comes, the latest Quiet Rebel (chosen in order of when they joined the company) sits down with our blender Matt to talk about their dream whisky so that it can be brought to life. 

Matt asks the team member a bunch of questions about things like their favourite memories, smells, places and passions. These don’t all have to relate to whisky either, they might be a big port or wine fan, or feel strongly about organic farming or sustainability. All of these things are taken into account when Matt is information gathering. 

Matt also can incorporate a blind taste test with lots of other whiskies, not necessarily Nc’nean, to get an understanding of what this Quiet Rebel really likes. He then goes away, sources casks for finishing already maturing spirit in, or picks some from our warehouse which already match the brief. Once the casks have all been chosen and blended together, that Quiet Rebel then gets to release their whisky to the world. Packaged up nicely with their very own name on the bottle and the gift tube.

WHY DOES THE SERIES EXIST?

Aside from shining a light on our awesome team, we want the series to promote the idea that there is a whisky out there for everyone. Many of our team were new to the whisky industry when they joined us, so their flavour profile might reflect something less traditional. We think it is important that the whisky world is as inclusive as can be, so that’s why we have a series dedicated to championing the diverse range of people that work in the industry.

QUIET REBELS QUICK FACTS

• The order of ‘who goes when’ is determined by when you join the company so it is nice and easy in chronological order.

• We haven’t got a plan yet for what to do if we have two team members with the same name!

• The Quiet Rebels whisky comes in our blue bottles which we use for the two limited edition series: The Quiet Rebels series and The Huntress series.
  

QUIET REBELS ANNABEL

• Tasting notes: almond biscotti, tropical fruit, coconut, toasted vanilla

• Cask mix: 64% ex-Bourbon, 22% ex-Tokaji, 7% STR red wine, 7% sherry hogshead

• Release story: This particular spirit was selected by our very own queen of spirits, Annabel. Back in 2013, Annabel left her job as a consultant in London to found Nc’nean. A trip to Islay, a famous Scottish whisky isle, inspired her to build a distillery on her parents farm on the west coast of Scotland - one that could lead the way in sustainable practices whilst creating light and delicious spirits. Then eight years on, Annabel bottled her whisky. The cream of the crop; her pick of her favourite barrels at the distillery which we have been tinkering with over the last few years. 

• Availability: Sold out on our website and almost everywhere else but there a few places you can find a bottle if you are willing to splash a little extra cash, including Lochs of Whisky or occasionally a bottle will become available at auctions in places like Whisky Auctioneer. 
  

• More info: Quiet Rebels Annabel batch details
  

QUIET REBELS LORNA

• Tasting notes: Banana bread, grapefruit, peach ice cream

• Cask mix: 84% ex-American whiskey, 16% ex-Pineau des Charentes

• Release story: The whisky in this release has been selected by our first ever team member, Lorna. Back in 2015, before our distillery was even built, Lorna left Perthshire and made her way up to the Morvern peninsula alongside her husband John, who had taken over as farm manager here in Drimnin. Lorna kicked off her career with us keeping all our builders fed and watered whilst the distillery was in its building phase. 
  

• Availability: Sold out on our website and most other places but stocked in a few specialist spirit retailers like Vintage Roots.

• More info: Quiet Rebels Lorna batch details

QUIET REBELS GORDON

• Tasting notes: Crème brûlée, spiced plum jam, candied orange peel

• Cask mix: 74% STR red wine, 7% ex-Rivesaltes, 19% ex-sherry

• Release story: Gordon waved goodbye to one of Scotland’s whisky giants back in 2017, and made his way even further up the west coast to Morvern to lead our whisky production. Since then Gordon has been passing on his years of experience to our growing team of distillers, helping shape our team and our spirit as we know it today. As well as distilling, Gordon enjoys nothing more than being in the great outdoors for long walks with his dog Barley, or taking in the sights and scenery of Scotland with his family. 
  

• Availability: Sold out on our website but available in select spirits retailers including The Leith Export Co.
  

• More info: Quiet Rebels Gordon batch details. You can watch the live recording of a Quiet Rebels Gordon tasting hosted by Annabel with Gordon and blender, Matt here. 

QUIET REBELS AMY

• Tasting notes: lemon custard, damson jam, brown butter muffins

• Cask mix: 63% STR red wine casks, 19% ex-Maury casks, 18% ex-Bourbon casks

• Release story: The whisky in this bottle has been selected by our Head of Sustainability Amy. Back in 2018, when we began to open our distillery to the public, Amy left the flat lands of East Anglia to join our then very small team of Quiet Rebels, as visitor manager. Amy’s ambition was to follow a path which made a positive difference, to show people there are much better ways of producing the things we like to enjoy. Since then, Amy has been using her passion for the environment to build herself a new role as Head of Sustainability here at Nc’nean. From monitoring the carbon impact of our daily operations, to ensuring that we source the best materials as the company grows, Amy leads the charge in pioneering sustainable production here on the wild and beautiful west coast of Scotland.

• Availability: available to shop on our website here in the UK and here in the US.
  

• More info: Quiet Rebels Amy batch details

WHAT'S NEXT

Planning for the next Quiet Rebels release is well underway and we reckon it might just be our most interesting release to date... To keep in the loop with all future releases, sign up to our main newsletter here or if you are in the USA you can sign up here.