In 1825 Long John McDonald was one of the first men to start legally distilling and selling his own whisky. The home of his fine whisky was the Ben Nevis distillery, nestled at the foot of Ben Nevis, Scotland’s tallest mountain in the heart of the Scottish highlands.
The exceptionally pure mountain water and the high quality peat and barley from the local area provided the perfect natural resources for this fine whisky. This, along with Long John’s distilling expertise developed as a child on the family farm and his business acumen, meant that his whisky soon became highly sought after both in the local area and well beyond.

Long John’s lovingly crafted whisky was so highly regarded that in 1848 Queen Victoria herself visited the Ben Nevis distillery and was presented with a special cask to be enjoyed at the coming of age of her son, The Prince of Wales. The prince later to became King Edward VII of England.

John McDonald was a local legend. He earned his nickname “Long John” because he was very tall, strong and incredibly athletic – he was a real giant of a man. He was also generous and hospitable as well as something of a romantic hero.

When the Duchess of Buccleuch, one of the richest women in Britain, got lost one night on Ben Nevis Long John went to her rescue aided only by a bell. By ringing the bell as he climbed the Duchess was able to hear his approach and call out to him. A befitting role for a man who could trace his ancestry back through one of Scotland’s oldest clans to Robert the Bruce.

In 1911 Long John Whisky became a blend using Whiskies from the highlands and islands.