Ben Nevis Distillery

Ben Nevis Distillery is one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland. Established in 1825, the distillery is an impressive and historic place. Ben Nevis itself is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The distillery draws its water from the Allt a’Mhuilinn which originates from two pools on Ben Nevis, Coire Leis and Coire na’Ciste.

The distillery was built by Angus McDonnell but Long John McDonald, a descendant of a ruler of the western Scottish kingdom of Argyll, he and his son Donald were the men who made it famous. He established Ben Nevis as one of the world’s most famous single malts. Long John became a partner in the business in 1830 and bought Angus’ remaining stake for a large sum. In 1841 it was reported that Prince Augustus, the Duke of Sussex, was an aficionado of Long John’s whisky, and had two dozen bottles in his cellar. Another broadsheet reported that his whisky was supplied to the King of Holland. Long John even sent a cask to Buckingham Palace, to be broached on the 21st birthday of the Prince of Wales.

Since 1989, Ben Nevis has been owned by Nikka Whisky Distilling of Tokyo, Japan. Owned by Asahi Group Holdings, one of the globally renowned giant beverage company. In 2019, the group had a revenue of JPY 2.1 trillion.