anCnoc
- OWNER: INVER HOUSE/INTERNATIONAL BEVERAGE COMPANY
- FOUNDED: 1894
- REGION: SPEYSIDE
- PRONUNCIATION: AH-knock
AnCnoc is the whisky; Knockdhu is the distillery. Located in the eastern reaches of Speyside, Knockdhu was DCL’s first malt distillery, built to supply its popular Haig blended Scotch (until then, DCL had only owned grain distilleries). United Distillers, the descendant of DCL, mothballed the distillery in 1983 and sold it to Inver House in 1988. The first release under the new owners came in 1993, this time under the anCnoc label, chosen to avoid confusion with one of United’s (now Diageo’s) other distilleries, Knockando. AnCnoc is known for its light, fruity character, though it has also made a big push over the last few years with a peated range as well.
anCnoc
12 Year Old
The basic anCnoc, a standout example of un-sherried Speyside whisky.
- PRICE $ · RATING
- AGE 12 years old
- ALC/VOL 43%
- NOSE Light on the nose, some candy apples, orange zest, and light oak.
- PALATE Orange peel, herbs, candied cherries; buttery and estery, with a finish that lingers in white wine.
- GENERAL A lovely bright nose, but the palate is a bit thin, and a few drops of water ruins it. Still, a solid entry-level expression.
Cutter
Named for the tool used to slice up peat bogs, Cutter clocks in at a solidly smoky 20.5 ppm. A throwback to the days when Knockdhu specialized in peated malts.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Strongly peated, but not overwhelming—it smells like a vinegar barbecue sauce, alongside banana cream and a hint of sherry, with a meatiness coming through with water.
- PALATE Raisins, grilled meat, barbecue chicken, bit of cigar, and sweet vanilla; the finish lingers with vinegar.
- GENERAL Robust but balanced peat, but a bit one-note—like drinking barbecue sauce.
anCnoc
Flaughter
Named for the tool used to remove the top layer of peat, which is prized for being richer and earthier, Flaughter has a relatively restrained phenolic content of 14.8 ppm.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Orange rind, grape juice, match heads, seaweed, and herbal tea; water brings out a fresh coastal note, but the peat practically vanishes.
- PALATE Grape skins, minty sweetness, char, umami, tannic toward the middle; a meaty, strawberry note emerges with a drop of water. The finish dries off quickly, leaving a slightly sweet smokiness on the tongue.
- GENERAL A captivating balance among sweet, smoky, and tannic notes. The best of the anCnoc peated range.
Rutter
Named for the spade used to carve out thicker, slower-burning peat, which produces a mellower reek. Rutter has a modest 11 ppm.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Pipe tobacco, orange zest, spice cake, skin lotion, herbal tea, and bacon; water brings out sandalwood, pear, and rosewater.
- PALATE Sweet up front, giving way to pepper, smoked ham, citrus oil, and burnt toast; water brings on an oak and fruit-skin astringency. The finish is medium in length, with echoes of smoke and fennel seed.
- GENERAL A good example of restrained peat that allows anCnoc’s signature Highland character to shine through.
anCnoc
Rascan
Rascan is named for the tool used to break up the topsoil of a peat bog. It has a moderate 11.1 ppm.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Malty and slightly sour beer, vanilla, minerality, salt, grass, dried apricot, match heads, sulfur; with water, the minerality pops up, with orange pulp, pineapple, and vanilla.
- PALATE A medium mouthfeel that opens with spicy tangerine and orange zest, then darkens into ash, dark chocolate, leather, and cigars; water adds a salty, nutty note. The finish is long, with mint and smoked nuts.
- GENERAL A restrained, crisp, and saline smokiness, well balanced between sweet, smoke, and salt. It loves water—a few drops turns it on.
18 Year Old
Aged in a combination of ex-oloroso and ex-bourbon barrels.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 18 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Light sherry notes, with honey, dark berries, marzipan, oak, orange marmalade, and cola, with water bringing out honeyed pears and jasmine.
- PALATE Boiled meat, roasted coffee beans, honeydew, and a hint of sherry with a full mouthfeel; the finish is quick and dry.
- GENERAL Smells like bourbon, but underneath the sweetness is a fine balance between oak and malt. A few minutes resting in the glass is critical, though—it needs to open up.
anCnoc
24 Year Old
Aged in a combination of ex-oloroso and ex-bourbon barrels.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 24 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Strong sherry influence, with white pepper, cherries, melon, oaky vanilla, cheese, and an unplaceable feinty, vegetal note; water shows celery salt, cream, and cocktail sauce.
- PALATE Malty sweet up front, resolving into honey-glazed ham, roasted coffee beans, leather, and ginger; the long finish has cinnamon, mint, and herbs.
- GENERAL For 24 years and all that sherry, it still tastes sprightly and bright without losing complexity.
Limited Edition
A thirty-nine year old from anCnoc, drawn from just three American and Spanish oak ex-sherry casks. Rare as hen’s teeth, but worth searching for because you won’t find another whisky this old for a mid-three-figures price.
- PRICE $$$$ · RATING
- AGE 39 years old
- ALC/VOL 44.2%
- NOSE Rum raisin, fruitcake, toasted herbs, soap, mushrooms, Bit-O-Honey, and a bit of sulfur; diluting it brings out fruit juice, ash, and Christmas cookies.
- PALATE A medium-to-thick palate with burnt sugar, beef bouillon, espresso, candied violets, pencil shavings, and sherry; water brings out a meaty, dark chocolate richness. The finish is long and slightly metallic, with lingering sherry and mint notes.
- GENERAL For an almost forty-year-old whisky, it’s an amazing deal. Bright, spicy, and vibrant. The nose alone is worth the price.