Designed by the late, great Jim Swan, Nc'nean Distillery claims to be Scotland's first fully organic distillery. The distillery is currently seeking certification from the Biodynamic Association, and all distilling by-products are recycled as animal feed. Additionally, the distillery is 100% powered by renewable energy, with wood chips for its biomass boilers sourced from local forests. Though small in scale, it is highly independent, operating under the motto 'From nature, not bound by convention,' with plans to experiment with various distillation methods (see below). Production began in March 2017, with the official opening in July 2017. Nc'nean is the brainchild of Annabel Thomas, whose parents Derek and Lois Lewis own the Drimnin Estate. Thomas gave up her consulting job in London to become CEO of Drimnin Distillery Limited, which has since been renamed Nc'nean Distillery Limited.

From the mid-16th to late-18th century, Drimnin formed part of the vast Maclean territory. Charles Maclean of Drimnin perished alongside his clansmen on the battlefield of Culloden. Though his lands escaped government confiscation, his son—also named Charles—was compelled to sell the estate during his bankruptcy between 1797 and 1798. The property changed hands repeatedly until Sir Charles Gordon, a distinguished Edinburgh lawyer, acquired it in 1835. He constructed a grand residence and a Roman Catholic chapel (restored between 2008 and 2012). Sir Charles died in 1845, and four years later Drimnin Estate was devastated by fire. His widow rebuilt it in the "Scottish Baronial style," and his descendants retained ownership until 1943. When the Lewis family purchased it in 2002, the estate had fallen into severe disrepair. The new owners undertook an exceptional renovation of the manor house and several farms and cottages on the grounds, which now operate as holiday cottages.