Multi Review: anCnoc 12yo, 2000 and 18yo
A #ModernTradition Twitter Tasting

As luck would have it, I’ve been invited along to a Twitter Tasting to try out some lovely drams from the Knockdhu distillery, otherwise known as anCnoc on the shelves (so as to not get confused with Knockando).

We’re going to take a look at the 12yo, the 2000 vintage, and the newish 18yo. So without further ado, let’s get cracking…

anCnoc 12 year old – 40% abv

Info: Matured primarily in ex-bourbon cask with a touch of ex-sherry too. 40%. Chillfiltered.
Colour: Nice light, bright gold.
Nose: Fairly classic aged speyside type nose, nuts, oak, malt, red apples, a drop of honey. Opens nicely with some time leading to more apple notes (cider apples?).
Palate: Really smooth and easy, sweet and medium thick. Spices build a little over time to tickle your tongue. Those apples and malt are still there.
Finish: Light and mid length, gently warming with stewed summer fruits and cream or custard.
Thoughts: A very summary and easy going dram that would work well at any time, even in the summer with some ice. Excellent value.
Available: The Green Welly Stop – £25.99

anCnoc 2000 Vintage – 46% abv

Info: Matured in a selection of Spanish oak ex-Sherry butts and American oak ex-bourbon barrels. Non chill-filtered and no added colouring. Limited to 6000 bottles / 1000 cases.
Colour: Still a nice light and bright golden colour, but certainly darker, like it’s a sunset on a summers night.
Nose: A fair bit more sherry influence over the 12 year old here, a much more classically sherried dram, nuts, some winter fruits and hessian all mixed with some oak. However at the back is still that malt and apples we found in the 12yo.
Palate: So much thicker than the 12yo, it’s thick and morish, creamy, velvety and just lovely. Puffs of smoke amongst the malt and stewed fruits. There’s also a freshness there too.
Finish: At first it’s subtle, a slow burner almost… it’s gentle and warming and keeps going and going as it spreads to your chest with sweet fruits just toned down a little with tannins.
Thoughts: Great whisky, rich, thick and tremendously enjoyable. The Twitter Tasting suggested this could match well with praline chocolates, I couldn’t agree more!
Available: The Green Welly Stop – £49.99

anCnoc 18 year old – 46% abv

Info: Matured in a combination of European oak ex-Sherry and American oak ex-bourbon casks. Non chill-filtered, no colour.
Colour: Fully golden, hints of yellow and orange.
Nose: More subtle and refined than the 2000, lots of nuts and oak with hints of leather & hessian. Stewed apples and malt. It’s rich and deep, layered and complex with buttery caramel.
Palate: Thick, rich and a little more spicy than expected, but in a good way, it keeps your tongue alive. There’s sweet stewed apples and winter fruits along with milk chocolate and malt.
Finish: Sweet, malty and long, very long in fact, hints of coconut and some puffs of smoke, probably from cask char.
Thoughts: This is a fantastic late evening style whisky; it’s easy going and packed with quality. It’s a gentle giant, not so overtly sherried like the 2000.
Available: The Green Welly Stop – £65

Overall Thoughts: The 12yo is a great value summery dram, but the 2000 is so much thicker it gives you a sherrried hug. The 18 is older and wiser, less overtly sherried but more classic. For me tonight the 2000 was the star, but it’s a close call between that and the 18yo, I’d probably pick that on most other evenings and stick my feet up with it.

Many thanks to anCnoc for the samples and for inviting me along!