OUR STORY
The Spirit of Loch Ness
The Scottish Highlands—timeless, wild, and filled with tales as deep as its lochs. Castles perch like sentinels, guarding centuries of stories. Purple heather paints the moors in summer, while in winter, fire and frost share the land. And then there’s Loch Ness, steeped in myth, drawing the curious from every corner of the globe.
On its misty shores sits Great Glen Distillery. Small in size, mighty in spirit. This is where the real magic happens, in a place shaped by history, nature, and a touch of rebellion.
Adam Dwyer and Daniel Campbell
The Ghost of Donald Fraser
Great Glen’s story begins not with a business plan, but with friendship. Adam, a Liverpudlian by birth and Highlander by heart, met Daniel when he joined the family’s hotel group around Loch Ness. Long days in kitchens led to longer evenings with gin in hand—stories swapped, laughter shared, ideas sparked.
Then came the stillness of 2020. Hospitality, their lifeblood, came to a halt. While Adam stayed in Inverness, Daniel retreated to a quiet cottage near Abriachan, high above the loch. It was here, in the hush of lockdown, that inspiration took root.
That inspiration had a name—Donald Fraser. A smuggler-turned-legend, he once lived next door, distilling spirits in secret. The tale lingered in the local air, and before long, Daniel had bought a 2-litre still. When he next saw Adam, he grinned and said, “Look what I’ve made.”
Adam laughed. At first. But something clicked. A still appeared in his bathroom. Research turned into obsession. Botanicals were tested, flavours fine-tuned, and a dream took shape.
When a small, 24-square-metre tourist shop—once run by Daniel’s mum—became available in Drumnadrochit, they knew it was meant to be. Small? Sure. But mighty things often grow from modest beginnings.
Distilled in the Highlands
In June 2021, Great Glen Distillery opened its doors. Since then, it’s become a beacon for gin lovers, winning over 40 awards and counting. Every bottle is a nod to the land, the legends, and the people who believed in a story worth telling.
Because in the end, Great Glen isn’t just a distillery. It’s a tale. And like all the best tales, it begins with a spirit.