anCnoc- Two New Peated Single Malts

Launched on the 1st of July – anCnoc Sherry Cask Finish, Peated Edition and anCnoc  Peatheart Batch 3.

Gordon Bruce, (Knockdhu Distillery Manager) together with his small team produced these two expressions using local barley and Aberdeenshire peat.

The peat that Gordon uses is much sweeter and woodier than other peat used by many Highland and Island distilleries.

Sitting here sipping these very fine drams takes me back many years to when Nicola and I were at the Arkle edition launch in Glasgow when we met Gordon who invited us to his distillery for a three-day distilling experience. You can read more about The Distillery Experience here as well as reading more about myself and Nicola’s anCnoc experience.

Let’s now have a taste of these two, first is  :-

ancCnoc Peated Edition, Sherry Cask Finish. Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky – 43% Alc/vol 70 cl.

Colour…Auburn toffee.

Nose…Sweet, nosing a Caribbean fruit punch, restrained smoke, honey on toast.

Taste… Vanilla, puff of white pepper and some mild ginger, lip smacking toffee sweetness, not so smoky, very impressive on the palate.

Finish…Long and sweet with light smoke and toffee.

Smashing dram and priced at a little over £45.95 this could quite easily make it into The Whisky Boys cabinet and a regular at our tastings. This expression is now a permanent addition to the Knockdhu stable.

Up next is :-

anCnoc Peatheart, Heavily Peated , Batch 3 – Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 46% Alc/vol 70 cl

Colour…Clean straw in sunlight.

Nose…Gentle waves of smoke, perfumed wood smoke from the campfire, vanilla honey, slices of just sliced Granny Smith apples.

Taste…Clean smoke, Autumn bonfires in the distance, now in comes a sweetness, toffee and custard pots, honeyed smoked ham, a bracing outdoor dram.

Finish… The smoke is in charge and lingers the longest.

My favourite of the two, more smoke which I love. This one priced at around £60.95 is worth every penny.