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An Cnoc
 scrapes in
 decent
 good
 excellent
 sublime
An Cnoc, 12-Year-Old Single Malt (Scotland) 
An Cnoc is produced in Knockdhu distillery, close to Huntly, in Aberdeenshire. The distillery was established in 1894 by the Distillers Company Ltd, and until its closure in 1983 its make was a major component of the Haig blend. Five years after DCL closed Knockdhu, it was acquired by Inver house Distillers Ltd, who reopened it, and in 1993 began to market its single malt under the An Cnoc label, thus avoiding confusion with the fellow Speysider Knockando. The ‘entry level’ 12-year-old offers a pretty, sweet, floral nose, and water releases clear barley notes. Medium bodied, with a whiff of delicate smoke, spices and boiled sweets on the palate. Drier in the mouth than the nose suggests. The finish is quite short and rapidly drying. Some people rave about this as one of the quintessential Speyside malts. Pleasant enough, but I don’t quite see it myself.
40.0% ABV, 70cl, £22.99, specialist whisky merchants.  |  |
An Cnoc, 16 Year Old (Scotland)
Inver House’s Knockdhu distillery lies not far from Huntly in Aberdeenshire, and its An Cnoc single malt falls into the Speyside category of whiskies. The distillery dates from 1894, and since 1988 it has been owned and operated by Inver House Distillers Ltd. When the first official bottling took place in 1993 it was christened anCnoc to avoid confusion with fellow Speysider Knockando.
The ‘standard’ bottling is a 12-year-old, and this new 16-year-old expression is bottled at a higher strength, and is not chill-filtered or coloured. According to Inver House, “Unlike its former bottlings, the 16-year-old is the only anCnoc available which has been wholly matured in American oak casks. Previous releases have been finished in Spanish Sherry barrels and it is this point of difference which makes the 16-year-old so distinct.”
The nose is soft and attractive with fresh citrus fruit and vanilla toffee. Quite full-bodied, yet soft and elegant on the palate, with spices and chewy toffee. Water releases a suggestion of orange wine gums. The finish is medium in length, with vanilla, gentle oak and a hint of mint.
46.0% ABV, 70cl, £39.99, specialist whisky merchants.  |  |
An Cnoc, 1975 Single Malt (Scotland)
The most recent and oldest ‘house’ bottling of An Cnoc, this 1975 vintage comprises spirit matured in a mixture of ex-Sherry and ex-Bourbon casks. A big, rich nose, still sweet and floral, but richer and more profound, with a hint of well-worn leather. Big and slightly tarry on the palate, with just a touch of Sherry sweetness lurking in the background. Again dry, with developing tobacco smoke in the finish. The most interesting of the An Cnoc range, probably due to the Sherry wood influence, but just caught in the nick of time. 50.0% ABV, 70cl, £91.99, specialist whisky merchants. |  |
An Cnoc, 1991 Single Malt (Scotland)
This 15-year-old expression is un-chill filtered, and again has a floral nose, though slightly less sweet than the 12-year-old. A bigger and more mouth-coating texture, perhaps due to the absence of chill filtering. Again, dry on the palate, with just a hint of vanilla. The dryness just seems to last without altering or developing very much. 46.0% ABV, 70cl, £24.50, specialist whisky merchants. |  |
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