Nc'nean
The Nc'nean distillery on the Morvern Peninsula, which opened in March 2017, describes itself as Scotland's first organic Whisky distillery. The name is an abbreviation of Neachneohain, a ghost queen from Gaelic legends, and is pronounced 'Nook-knee-anne'.
| Information about the Distillery | |
|---|---|
| Scotland, Highlands | |
| -5.990162 56.624258 | |
| Active | |
| 2017 | |
| Annabel Thomas, Drimnin Distillers Ltd. | |
| 100,000 l | |
| www.ncnean.com |
| Average tasting notes Tasting notes |
Calculated from 330
i
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Nosing
Fruit:
Sweet:
Fruit:
Sweet:
Peach:
Herbs:
Peach:
Herbs:
Zitrus:
Zitrus:
Floral:
Caramel:
Vanilla:
Floral:
Vanilla:
Sherry:
Caramel:
Heather:
Spices:
Malt:
Heather:
Spices:
Malt:
Sherry:
Oak:
Tropical Fruit:
Lemon:
Tropical Fruit:
Lemon:
Pear:
Oak:
Grape:
Pear:
Honey:
Lemon Peel:
Grass:
Lemon Peel:
Honey:
Grape:
Berries:
Cherry:
Cherry:
Grass:
Cake:
Apple:
Raisin:
Dried Fruit:
Berries:
Pineapple:
Raisin:
Apple:
Pineapple:
Plum:
Dried Fruit:
Grapefruit:
Grapefruit:
Blackberry:
Melon:
Plum:
Hay:
Alcohol:
Green Apple:
Alcohol:
Orange:
Strawberry:
Orange:
Peat Smoke:
Chocolate:
Melon:
Blackberry:
Green Apple:
Hay:
Chocolate:
Strawberry:
Tasting
Fruit:
Sweet:
Sweet:
Fruit:
Spices:
Herbs:
Spices:
Zitrus:
Zitrus:
Herbs:
Peach:
Peach:
Heather:
Vanilla:
Malt:
Oak:
Heather:
Vanilla:
Pepper:
Pear:
Pepper:
Oak:
Malt:
Caramel:
Pineapple:
Pear:
Sherry:
Pineapple:
Caramel:
Nuts:
Oil:
Floral:
Chili:
Chili:
Ginger:
Oil:
Honey:
Ginger:
Floral:
Grapefruit:
Sherry:
Grapefruit:
Honey:
Herb:
Grape:
Hay:
Herb:
Berries:
Orange:
Peat Smoke:
Grass:
Lemon:
Cherry:
Orange:
Plum:
Hay:
Cake:
Lemon:
Green Apple:
Tropical Fruit:
Grass:
Tropical Fruit:
Cherry:
Grape:
Berries:
Green Apple:
Chocolate:
Wheat:
Peat Smoke:
Wheat:
Cinnamon:
Barley:
Date:
Chocolate:
Almonds:
Kiwi:
Rye:
Cinnamon:
Dried Fruit:
Rye:
Date:
Cake:
Kiwi:
Banana:
Banana:
Alcohol:
Barley:
Alcohol:
Anis:
Almonds:
Lime:
Coffee:
Maritime Notes:
Nuts:
Lime:
Leather:
Dried Fruit:
Coconut:
Salt:
Coffee:
Coconut:
Finish
Spices:
Fruit:
Sweet:
Fruit:
Sweet:
Herbs:
Oak:
Spices:
Herbs:
Heather:
Oak:
Heather:
Ginger:
Caramel:
Ginger:
Malt:
Herb:
Zitrus:
Malt:
Herb:
Zitrus:
Caramel:
Sherry:
Vanilla:
Floral:
Pepper:
Nuts:
Pepper:
Floral:
Coffee:
Vanilla:
Chocolate:
Chocolate:
Peach:
Coffee:
Peach:
Sherry:
Dried Fruit:
Oil:
Peat Smoke:
Oil:
Nuts:
Dark Chocolate:
Honey:
Dried Fruit:
Honey:
Dark Chocolate:
Wheat:
Lime:
Rye:
Wheat:
Hay:
Nutmeg:
Tropical Fruit:
Alcohol:
Grape:
Lemon:
Nutmeg:
Tropical Fruit:
Alcohol:
Rye:
Grapefruit:
Cake:
Raisin:
Anis:
Chili:
Orange:
Fig:
Cake:
Lemon:
Pineapple:
Pineapple:
Orange:
Chili:
Barley:
Raisin:
Grape:
Peat Smoke:
Barley:
Hay:
Leather:
Grapefruit:
Fig:
Lime:
Coconut:
Leather:
Coconut:
|
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The Whisky
In keeping with the spirit of Neachneohain, a protector of nature, the distillery uses 100 percent organic barley as well as its own pure spring water and produces entirely by means of renewable energy. In addition, the distillery works according to the waste avoidance principle: The leftovers from the barley are fed to the cows on the farm.
In 2020, the first Whisky was bottled under the name Nc'nean Organic. Many more released batches followed, which always mature in former Red Wine and Bourbon casks. In addition, there are occasional limited special bottlings, such as those from the Quiet Rebels series, which always bear the name of connoisseurs who care about environmentally conscious enjoyment, or from the Huntress series, which experiments with different flavours.
The Production
The Nc'Nean distillery is also taking new, experimental approaches to production in order to create a Whisky that is easy to enjoy and blend. They try to achieve this by using longer mash times, slower fermentations (the duration here is 65 to 120 hours) and special yeast. The barley comes 100 per cent from Scotland, is malted in Inverness and then transported to the distillery.
The distillery has four stainless steel washbacks, each with a capacity of 7,000 litres, although only 5,000 litres are filled.
There are two stills in the stillhouse. The wash still is filled with 5,000 litres, the spirit still with 3,500 litres. The cut of the still produces purer alcohol and the unusual lantern shape with constriction of the stills favours both a gentle distillation and the achievement of substantial reflux. This produces a lighter alcohol with fruity notes. In addition, temperature controls have been placed in the warehouses to bring out different flavours over time.
The Gin
The Nc'nean Botanical Spirit is not a Gin as it is known by definition. In Gins, juniper predominates in flavour. Nc'nean, on the other hand, redistills their own new make malt spirit, using botanicals but only small amounts of juniper. This allows the other ingredients such as bog mytrle, grapefruit and thyme to come to the fore in terms of flavour.
The third distillation takes place at another distillery near Campbeltown. Here, all the botanicals are distilled in an aroma basket according to the recipe laid down by Nc'Nean and the Botanical Spirit is created.
The Warehouse
Nc'Nean has three traditional Dunnage Warehouses with rammed earth floors, where the casks are usually stacked three tiers high. Up to 700 casks are filled each year.
For the maturation of its Whiskies, the distillery uses half bourbon and half wine casks. Oloroso sherry casks and a few experimental casks, such as Rum, Tequila and Bordeaux, are also used.
History
The story of the distillery began in 2012, when Annabel Thomas had the idea to build a Malt distillery on the Drimnin estate, which her parents had bought ten years earlier. Drimnin was also the original name for the distillery. However, it was renamed Nc'nean in 2017.
The Visitor Centre
The distillery opened its doors for the first time in July 2017 and is open to visitors once a day on weekdays. In addition to a behind-the-scenes look, you can also taste bottlings or try a cocktail at the bar. Moreover, coffee and cupcakes or lunch are offered. A tour lasts approximately three hours and costs £18. Tours should definitely be booked in advance online or by calling +44 (0)1967-421698.
Brennereiadresse:
Nc'nean Distillery
Drimnin
By Lochaline
PA80 5XZ
Tel: +44 (0)1967-421698
Email: hello@ncnean.com
User Notes about the Distillery
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