Review: anCnoc 12 Years Old
Don’t let the crazy spelling/capitalization fool you: “a-nock” is all you have to say. It even says so right on the bottle.
This 12 year old malt (the distillery’s entry level whisky) from the northeast corner of Scotland is very youthful and light, heavy on the grain and malt character. There is charm here, but not a whole lot of it, hidden behind an almost funky malt structure that masks what appear to be some charming undertones.
The whisky hints at sweetness but retreats, repeatedly, back to its barley roots — straightforward but unchallenging. Light honey and nougat notes offer some nuance — and a huge promise of something better to come with a few more years in the barrel — but on the whole it is just too youthful for easy drinking.
Produced at Knockdhu Distillery. 86 proof.
B- / $42 / ancnoc.com [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS]
anCnoc 12 Years Old
$42
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I’ve never had the 12y expression, but your assessment of its youth doesn’t surprise me. The 16y is quite good and worth trying despite your relative disappointment. It’s more in line with many other malts at the 12-14y mark. I imagine an 18-21y expression might just be the sweet spot for this distillery.
Here’s one that might be a real cracker with some serious age where a lot of other malts are likely to be over-wooded.