Rating
7.7 (107)
Region:
Highland
Country:
Scotland
Status:
active
Year opened:
1825
Address:
Lochy Bridge, Fort William, PH33 6TJ
Website:
Ben Nevis Distillery website
Source:
Ben Nevis
Brands:

The story of Ben Nevis Distillery

Ben Nevis Distillery is a distillery in Scotland that distills Ben Nevis 10 Years Old and Ben Nevis 21 Years Old whisky. It is located at Lochy Bridge in Fort William and sits just at the base of Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest mountain, which rises to 4,406 feet above sea level. A coastal distillery in the Western Highlands, Ben Nevis draws its water from the Allt a’Mhuilinn which originates from two pools, Coire Leis and Coire na’Ciste. The distillery was founded in 1825 by 'Long John' McDonald, a 6 ft 4in descendant of a ruler of the western Scottish kingdom of Argyll (after whom the renowned blended Scotch, Long John, was named). After Long John's death in 1856, ownership was passed down to Donald McDonald, his son.A second distillery was sited nearby in 1878 and named Nevis Distillery. In a bid to keep up with growing demand, the two distilleries eventually became one in the early twentieth century. In 1955 the distillery was taken over by new proprietors with Joseph Hobbs in the driving seat. Under Hobbs's ownership, the distillery joined the ranks of those experimenting with continuous distillation, installing a Coffey Still which remained on the site for 26 years and made this distillery one of the first to produce malt and grain whisky simultaneously. The Japanese company Nikka (Japan) acquired the distillery in 1989. The heart of the range has been for some time the 10 years old. There have also been a few cask-finishes, limited editions and independent bottlings, notably from Blackadder and Douglas Laing. In 1991, a visitor centre was opened for tourists in the area, particularly those travelling to the rocky peak above the distillery.

Source: Wikipedia