TBWC Nc'Nean

New distilleries seem to be popping up all over the place recently, with their first releases disappearing from the shelves very quickly. @Ncnean distillery's first release did exactly the same but more recent batches are available.

Some how @BoutiqueyWhisky managed to get hold of a single cask and bottled it at cask strength.

The Nc'Nean distillery was founded by Annabel Thomas on her family’s farm on the remote Drimnin Estate on the Morvern peninsula on the West Coast of Scotland. The team's goals were clear - a sustainable distillery creating a single malt using organic barley, renewable energy and recycled packaging.

They started distilling in March 2017. The name Nc'nean (pronounced Nc-ne-an) comes from Neachneohain, the Queen of Spirits in Gaelic legend, a huntress: strong, independent and never afraid to walk her own path. A quiet rebel. She was also a fierce protector of nature.

Using certified organic barley from ten East Coast Scottish farms, Nc'Nean's use a semi lauter mash tun to produce their wash, they add Anchor and Fermentis yeast in a 114 hour fermentation in their 4 stainless steel washbacks then distill in a single pair of wash (5,000ltr) and spirit (3,500ltr) stills to produce a light fruity new make collected at around 72%.

As with many newer distilleries they sought the help of the late Dr Jim Swan when setting up their distillery. Jim's fondness for STR (Shaved, Toasted, & Recharred) wine casks leading to the release of flavourful young whisky.

The distillery releases have been in batches, each of 5,040 bottles from a marriage of 65% STR Red Wine and 35% Ex-Bourbon matured 3yo whisky bottled in 100% recycled glass at natural coloured and non-chill filtered.

Boutique-y Whisky managed to get their hands on an ex-bourbon single cask #125 which they bottled at 60.2%. This release of 374 bottles arguably gives a better idea of distillery character than the STR marriage. 

Bottler Info: 

The label is a play on ‘The Birth of Venus.’ Instead of Venus on the shell, founder Annabel Thomas is riding a white swan. The Drimmin peninsula is behind her, and the distillery employees are the cherubs around her. Nc’nean is an abbreviation of Neachneohain, the Gaelic goddess of spirits. The white swan is a respectful nod to the late Dr. Jim Swan who was instrumental in the distillery design, house style, and maturation.

Nose: Fruit-forward on the nose, with tangy orange and fresh apricot, while hints of fudge and nutmeg develop in the background.

Palate: Vanilla builds on the palate, but the fruitiness of the spirit remains at the fore. A slow build of soft pepper and caraway.

Finish: Big helpings of malt, citrus and dry cedar remain.

My thoughts:

Appearance: Pale gold in the glass, swirls cling and fall as fast thin legs.

 

 

Nose: floral, pine needles, herbal, fruity, very new makey. A little time and air gives orchard fruit notes - apples, pears and apricots and a spicy chocolate orange note.

 

Palate: smooth buttery arrival, herbal pine notes from the nose, sweet toffee and a hint of milk chocolate. A ginger spice and a citrus fizz on the tongue as the liquid disappears.

 

Finish: short warming and spicy - the pine notes are there again.

 

I added a little water to cut the whisky down to around 46%, the ABV of their 'standard' release, to see what, if anything, changed: 

Nose: the herbal pine notes fade a little, apricot and orange notes come to the fore, there's a little toffee and some sweet honey.

 

Palate: very different - much sweeter - lots of honey and brown sugar, the spice has reduced quite a bit and the herbal notes have gone completely. A little orchard fruit.

 

Finish: medium length sweet fruit notes.

Overall: This is obviously a young dram and it it's raw cask strength state the new make notes just out at you - bottled too early you might say, but with a little water all that is pushed to the side and orchard fruit notes come to the fore. It's 'plain' ex-bourbon maturation showing that the fruity distillery character they are aiming for is there. I've yet to try one of their 'standard' batches with the 65% STR wine cask but I'd guess that adds some berry fruit notes and a lot of dryness? I'm on the hunt for a bottle and thing this initial ex-bourbon is very promising.

Geeky Stuff:

All current batches have come from a marriage of 65% STR Red Wine and 35% Ex-Bourbon casks, bottled at 46% ABV natural colour and non chill filtered.

Batch	Distillation	Disgorge date	Casks
03	April, June, July & August 2017	TBC	2017 / 45, 46, 50, 53, 57, 59, 60, 62, 69, 174, 210, 213, 215, 243
02	April, May & August 2017	17 Sep 2020	2017 / 64, 65, 70, 71, 90, 96, 97, 98, 242, 244, 246, 248, 250, 69
01	April, May & July 2017	20 Aug 2020	2017 / 67, 68, 69, 91, 93, 94, 95, 121, 122, 124, 177, 179, 208, 212

More geeky stuff : this was the 1,200 different whisky I've tried!