Organic and sustainable distillery Nc’nean has launched a £1 million crowdfunding campaign to launch its first whisky next year.
Founders Annabel Thomas and Derek Lewis already make Botanical Spirit and the Aged Botanical Spirit at their facility near Lochaline on the Morvern Peninsula.
They plan to use the funds to buy bottling equipment, develop new products and gorw their existing products.
Thomas and Lewis founded Nc’nean in 2013 as with a sustainable ethos and innovative approach to spirit making. They use only renewable energy sources, leftover grain feeds the cows on the farm and waste products are spread on the fields as fertiliser. They began distilling in 2017 and the whisky is due to come of age next year.
CEO Thomas, who is originally from Essex, said: “We’re set to establish Nc’nean as a leader in experimental spirits and a pioneer in sustainable production. We’ve seen a real consumer demand for authentic and sustainable brands and we believe the Scotch category has yet to tap into a new audience base by attracting them with innovative products, which is where we’re looking to build further on our success to date. Our community both near and far is at the heart of everything we do, and I’m really excited that crowdfunding will allow that group to be part of our future success.”
The brand’s Botanical Spirit, which was originally produced in a limited run, has been described as a mix between whisky and gin and “a tipple that’s truly different”, it was awarded a Silver Medal in the International Spirits Challenge 2019.
With a minimum investment of just over £12, for those who can invest more, Nc’nean’s crowdfunding campaign on Seedrs opens on December 7. It offers:
- For £500: a £20 voucher to spend by July 2020
- £1,000: 15% off for a year + early bird access to all new releases
- £5,000: as above + free distillery tours for next 5 years
- £10,000: as above + free limited edition barrel Aged Botanical Spirit gift pack
- £25,000: as above + VIP distillery trip in 2020 or 2021
