Two whiskies released to mark 125 years of distillery
HIGHLAND single malt anCnoc is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its Knockdhu Distillery home with the release of two new limited edition variants: anCnoc 16 Years Old Cask Strength and anCnoc Peat.
Just 500 bottles of each expression will be available to commemorate the Banffshire distillery, which first opened its doors in 1894.
Matured exclusively in American oak ex-bourbon casks, the 16 year old release is bottled at cask strength (56.3% ABV) and is described as offering sweet vanilla, coconut and butterscotch toffee on the nose and citrus, faint spice and green apple fruitiness on the palate.
With flavour notes of smoke with a hint of burnt toffee, the peated expression is also matured in ex-bourbon casks, before being finished in an ex-sherry oak butt, which is said to give the malt a “sunset gold” colour.
Gordon Bruce, anCnoc’s distillery manager, said: “To be celebrating 125 years of making exceptional whisky is a real achievement. The traditional methods that make our whisky so special are still in use today, but we’re constantly innovating to offer a fresh take. It’s this combination of tried and tested means with a contemporary twist that makes anCnoc, and Knockdhu Distillery, one of the best places in the world to work.
“It’s an honour to the whole team to be able to oversee these two very special limited editions.
“To me, anCnoc 16 Years Old is a very good example of what anCnoc should be – it’s a lovely, light, bouncy, zingy whisky – a beautiful dram.
“The limited edition peated whisky is a great opportunity to offer something smoky with a hint of sweetness too – appealing to both peat enthusiasts and those who might not normally opt for peat.
“It was really important that, to mark this special year, we could offer something for everyone, and I think we’ve done just that.”
