anCnoc hails from the Knockdhu Distillery in the Scottish Highlands, where it’s most known for producing a core range of easy-drinking single malts. Beginning with anCnoc 12 Year and moving up toward older expressions like the 22 year old and 35 year old whiskies, the primary anCnoc portfolio skews light and fruit-forward. So if you want to dive into a smoky, peaty whisky, you opt for anCnoc Peaty.
anCnoc Peaty is a separate range of whiskies that’s currently sporting four expressions, each named after a particular peat cutting tool, and each touting it’s peat levels in parts per million (ppm). anCnoc Rutter is the lightest of the bunch. It pours a clean gold in the glass, and on the nose it’s full of smoke and spice. Traditional peat smoke blends with vanilla, baking spices and ripe pineapples. Take a sip, and this full-bodied whisky is full of rich peat, creamy vanilla, tobacco, smoke and some bright, fresh pear. It finishes dry with lingering hints of smoke until the very end.
anCnoc Rutter exhibits many of the smoky, peaty qualities you find in the better Islay whiskies. At a relatively mild ppm level of just 11 (by comparison, Laphroaig whiskies typically fall between 40 and 50), it exhibits a surprising level of smokiness. Add in the bright fruit character, and you’ve got a tasty, nuanced whisky on your hands.
Stats:
– 46% ABV
– $85
CE Rating: ★★★★
Like that? Drink this:
– anCnoc 12 Year Scotch Whisky Review
– Bowmore Small Batch Scotch Whisky Review
– Laphroaig Select Scotch Whisky Review
The flavors in this one sound like they’d be great for summer. But great for winter too apparently!
@Cigar Inspector: Great for both, yes. The mix of fruit and smoke makes it a contender for all-season drinking.