Industry Night: The Quiet Rebellion of Nc’Nean Scotch Whisky
I am back at Jackie for the last of my residency here. And it has been amazing. So grateful to Dmitri Chekaldin and his team for the tremendous hospitality! Today's show — You all know I love a great story — especially when it’s poured into a glass.
Today’s guest brings us not just a story of Scotch whisky, but one of rebellion & innovation, — all bottled up on the rugged west coast of Scotland. Joining me is Chris Maybin, Nc’nean Distillery’s Head of Commercial and self-proclaimed Quiet Rebel — which, if you know Scotch, sounds a lot like a revolution in a Glencairn glass.
So what exactly is Scotch whisky? At its core, Scotch whisky is a distilled spirit made exclusively in Scotland from malted barley (and potentially other grains), aged in oak casks for at least three years, and bottled at a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume.
But Nc’nean (that’s “Nick-knee-an” if you’re practicing your Gaelic) is rewriting that tradition — crafting organic, sustainable, and seriously sippable spirits that are as much about preserving the planet as they are about flavor.
It is a net-zero carbon emissions distillery & it’s also proudly female-founded, driven by Annabel Thomas, and powered entirely by renewable energy.
So pour yourself something neat, and we talk about what happens when you mix innovation with intention — and a little Scottish spirit — and then I catch up with Dmitri Chekaldin about what is happening here at Jackie.
