This year hails the remarkable bicentenary of the Ben Nevis distillery. Founded in 1825 by "Long John" MacDonald, a larger-than-life character known for his impressive 6'4" stature! After an initial partnership, he took full ownership and built the distillery's reputation, reportedly sending a cask of his famous Dew of Ben Nevis to Buckingham Palace for the Prince of Wales's 21st birthday
Following Long John's death in 1856, his son Donald took the reins and expanded the business significantly. Demand was so high that a second distillery, named "Nevis," was built nearby in 1876 to meet production targets. However, with market shifts favouring blended Scotch, the Nevis distillery closed in 1908 and was absorbed into the main Ben Nevissite.
The MacDonald family's ownership came to an end in 1941 when Canadian businessman Joseph Hobbs, a former bootlegger from the US Prohibition era, purchased the distillery. Hobbs, known for his eccentricities, bought several distilleries across Scotland during this time.
Following World War II, Hobbs made a groundbreaking addition in 1955: a Coffey still. This made Ben Nevis one of the first Scottish distilleries to produce both malt and grain whisky on the same site. He even experimented with blending malt and grain spirits before maturation, which was a rare practice at the time.
Like many distilleries, the late 1970s and 1980s were a challenging time for Ben Nevis. Production stopped in 1978 and didn't resume until 1981, after the distillery was purchased by Long John International (a subsidiary of Whitbread & Co). The Coffey still was removed during this period, returning the focus solely to malt distillation. Following a brief reopening in 1984, the distillery closed again in 1986, reflecting the struggles faced by the wider whisky industry.
Ben Nevis found stability and a new future in 1989 when it was acquired by the Japanese whisky giant Nikka, part of the Asahi Brewery Company, had already been a long-term buyer of spirit from Ben Nevis. Production was restarted in 1990, and a visitor centre was opened in 1991 to attract tourists.
Below we take a look at some great bottlings and series from the Ben Nevis back catalogue: -
Ben Nevis 1965 14yo, Cadenhead Dumpy
This super rare 14 year old Highland single malt was laid to rest at the Ben Nevis distillery in June 1965 and bottled by Wm Cadenhead for their dumpy bottle series in July 1979.
Bottled at 80 proof (45.7% ABV) and 26 2/3 Fl. Ozs, this is yet another stunning example of the quality vintages that Cadenhead's were churning out during the 1970's.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £2,500. Buy Here.
Ben Nevis 1966 23yo, SMWS 78.1
This incredibly rare 23 year old Highland single malt was laid to rest at the Ben Nevis distillery in June 1966 and bottled for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in September 1989.
Yielded from society cask number 78.1, the inaugural SMWS release from the Ben Nevis distillery, this exceptional malt was filled at a natural strength 55% ABV.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £3,333.33. Buy Here.
Ben Nevis 1966 46yo, The Old Malt Cask
This spectacular 46 year old Highland single malt was laid down at the Ben Nevis distillery in June 1966 and bottled for Douglas Laing's The Old Malt Cask series in February 2013.
Drawn from refill hogshead number 9511, this single cask was bottled at a natural strength 43.1% ABV (a divergence from the familiar 50%) and is one of just 184 bottles.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £1,666.67. Buy Here.
Ben Nevis 1967 41yo, Alambic Classique, Sherry Cask 1281
This sensational 41 year old Highland single malt was laid to sleep at the Ben Nevis distillery in April 1967 and bottled for Alambic Classique of Germany in January 2009.
Drawn from single Sherry cask number 1281 at a natural strength 49.4% ABV, this beautifully deep-coloured treasure is one of only 180 bottles.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £3,333.33. Buy Here.
Ben Nevis 1972 21yo, Cask Strength
This limited edition 21 year old Highland single malt was laid to rest at the Ben Nevis distillery in February 1972 and bottled in August 1993.
Drawn from single cask at a natural strength 55.6% ABV, this oak matured malt is one of just 242 bottles.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £1,125. Buy Here.
Ben Nevis 1990 18yo, First Cask
Released as part of the First Cask Malt Whisky Circle bottlings from Direct Wines Ltd, this 18 year old Highland single malt was laid down at the Ben Nevis distillery on the 20th December 1990.
Matured in single sherry butt number 1501, this is bottle number 463 that comes from some of the earliest production from the Nikka era.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £333.33. Buy Here.
Ben Nevis 1996 27yo, Vintage Bottlers Single Cask
This 27 year old Highland single malt was laid to rest at the Ben Nevis distillery on the 1st November 1996 and bottled for Vintage Bottlers on the 4th December 2023 under their Rare Cask Series label.
Charged from single hogshead number 1707 at a natural strength 44.2% ABV, this is one of just 189 bottles.
The Whisky Vault Price: net £350. Buy Here.
Brief Timeline of Ben Nevis Key Events: -
- 1825: The distillery is founded by John ‘Long John’ McDonald
- 1856: Long John passes, the distillery is taken over by his son, Donald
- 1876: A second site, Nevis Distillery, is built to keep up with demand
- 1908: The Nevis distillery closes
- 1941: The distillery is sold to Canadian millionaire, Joseph W. Hobbs
- 1955: A Coffey still is installed
- 1978: The distillery closes again
- 1981: Hobbs sells the distillery to Long John Internation, production resumes
- 1984: The Coffey still is removed, production returns to malt-only
- 1986: The distillery closes once again
- 1989: Japanese company, Nikka, purchase Ben Nevis distillery
- 1990: Production is once again restarted
- 1991: Ben Nevis distillery visitor centre is opened to the public
- 2025: The distillery celebrates its bicentenary
Happy 200th Anniversary, Ben Nevis, here’s to many more. View all of our Ben Nevis single malts here.