Ncn’ean (pronounced Nook-knee-anne) is a farm distillery situated on the Morvern peninsula in Scotland, known for its commitment to sustainability and innovation. Its name is derived from Neachneohain, a witch-queen from Scots Gaelic folklore who “rode on the storm and marshalled the rambling host of wanderers under her grim banner.” True to its name, Ncn’ean distillery has positioned itself as a leader in environmental protection and cutting-edge practices.
Designed by the late Jim Swan, the distillery is Scotland’s first fully organic modern distillery, powered entirely by renewable energy. The distillery’s biomass boiler runs on wood chips sourced from a nearby forest, and all by-products are repurposed as animal and plant feed on the estate. Ncn’ean aims to produce a light, fruity, and estery single malt spirit, a character achieved through slow mashes, long fermentations, horizontal lyne arms, shell and tube condensers, and a high, narrow spirit cut.
The distillery also experiments with unconventional yeast strains not commonly used in distilling, and its wood maturation program focuses on ex-Bourbon and red wine casks, with a touch of Sherry influence. Ncn’ean has two dunnage warehouses equipped with temperature regulators, allowing the distillery to exert greater control over the maturation process.
The idea to build Ncn’ean distillery on the Drimnin Estate came in 2012, after the Lewis family bought and began restoring the property. The estate, once part of the Maclean clan territory, had a history of misfortunes, including a fire that destroyed Drimnin House in 1849. After years of neglect, the estate was transformed into a cattle farm, conservation area, and holiday lets.
In 2013, the Lewis family’s plan to build a distillery on the estate’s historic farm buildings began. Annabel Thomas, the family’s daughter, took on the role of CEO, managing the project personally. With support from two rounds of investment and a government grant, the distillery was completed in March 2017, with the first spirit filled into casks on 21 March. Ncn’ean officially opened to visitors in July 2017.
Ncn’ean’s first whisky release is expected in 2020, though the distillery also makes a limited number of individual casks available for purchase each year.
