Review 167
6/18/13
anCnoc
12 Year: 43% abv
Background: Let’s
get this straightened out: anCnoc (meaning “the hill” in Gaelic) is pronounced
a-nock. The namesake of anCnoc has not been around for that long, but the
whisky itself has been around for quite some time. That’s because anCnoc whisky
is formerly known as Knockdhu Scotch, which comes from the Knockdhu Distillery,
in Knock, Scotland (Knock on wood…). In 1994, the distillery stopped calling
its whisky Knockdhu, because the distillery was being confused with Knockando
Distillery. In 1894, the distillery was founded. They currently have about 1.7M
liters of capacity, and from an outsider’s perspective, they are gaining
presence. The 12 Year is one of two regular main stays in the reasonable price
range, with the 16 Year being its right-hand man. So reasonable is this whisky, it sits
alongside the Glenfiddich 12, Glenlivet 12, and Macallan 10 price range. So
does it warrant you moving away from these classics to potentially adopt a new
staple into the liquor cabinet?
Straight
Nose: You
might get some green fruits of the nose of this whisky. The two we thought of
immediately were white wine and pears. You will definitely find a malty
character to the aroma, complimented by a natural wheat flavor in the
background. The vanilla character associated with this Scotch is pretty
dominant, and ultimately you do not suspect the influence of peat or sherry in
this whisky. It would be safe to say that there is not much influence outside
of bourbon casks. There is, however, a very subtle salt note that comes through
in the back of the nose. Even to an extent, there is some agave coming through
as well. After further analysis, there is a noticeable piece of ginger aroma
within the AnCnoc.
Arrival: Well,
if you like malt, you won’t be disappointed here. This is an absolutely
fantastic blast of malt flavor right in the front; this is a pure, creamy and
malty flavor, which feels like the perfect flavor extraction from the
distillation process. I might venture a guess that this would actually make for
decent white whisky. There is a sense of dried fruit, oak, and vanilla that
come through. There is a tart flavor that comes through as well. There is a
mysterious spiciness that will be evoked in the arrival as the single malt
opens up.
Body: There
is still some good maltiness in the body, but there is an addition of wheat,
vanilla, cream, and even some saltiness. The evolution is quite smooth, but
also noticeable. It is an oxymoron of dynamic and subtle at the same time. It
is ultimately incredibly smooth. There is a sense of pear in the body as well.
There is a sense of slight tartness in the body, which carries over from the
arrival.
Finish: You
would never guess it, but you guessed it. This finish is super malty, with some
earthy, floral notes involved too. The vanilla is dominant, along with some
residual tartness, subtle wood flavor, and a long lasting creaminess that
almost reminds you of ice cream. Right from the body into the finish, you will
find a Laffy Taffy banana flavor that jumps in, which is a weird descriptor,
but truly hits the nail on the head. As an accent note, there is a very
negligible, almost invisible note of smokiness that comes through in the
finish.
With Water
Nose: The
nose, although quite similar, brings forward some of the more dominant flavors
of the Scotch. There is a sense of lemon that starts coming through,
accompanied by a candy sweetness. There is more floral harshness in the nose
with a significant vegetal quality, but it still retains the sweetness from
before.
Arrival: The
arrival is pretty similar to before, with the thought that maybe there is a
slight increase in woodiness.
Body: There
is a small amount of spiciness into the body that wasn’t as prominent as
before. This isn’t necessarily a black pepper spice, but something more hot and
flavorful, without breaching the realm of red pepper potency.
Finish: The
finish comes across as a little less prominent than before, without much flavor
change. It is a softer ending, but not too much shorter. The vegetal earthiness
that comes through in the finish is a little more dominant now than before
water.
Final Comments: Yes.
This will replace Macallan 10, it will replace Glenfiddich 12, and it will
DEFINITELY replace Glenlivet 12. Take the price out of the equation for a
second. The quality of this whisky is great, no matter what the age or the
price is. It tastes fresh, but the creamy, pure malt flavor feels like exactly
what good distillation should be. The complexity of this whisky isn’t
groundbreaking, but that doesn’t mean it is dull. The whisky takes a
contradictory path of smooth, mellow character met with deep, engaging flavor.
We truly enjoyed this single malt a lot, and to be honest, it is almost TOO
easy to drink. For the price, it is a must try. We would advise you to review
the flavors, to understand what you’re buying, because unlike Glenfiddich or Glenlivet,
this is not as much about dark, rich fruit flavor, but rather crisp, fresh, but
slightly dried fruit flavors with a super blast of maltiness. If you like a
dram of Glen Grant 10, this should definitely be on your list.
Why you’d buy it: It is
good.
Why you wouldn’t: I don’t
know.
Score: 8.75/10
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