Ancnoc is malt whisky from the Knockdhu distillery in the Highland / Speyside region of Scotland. Most of the malt whisky produced by Knockdhu is sold to the blended whisky makers. After various name changes, the owner of Knochdhu established the brand AnCnoc (the hill) so that it would not be mixed with the products of the nearby Knockando distillery. Knockdhu was founded in 1893 and has been sold several times and has also been closed for several years. Today, it is owned by International Beverage Holdings, part of ThaiBev, Thailand’s largest alcohol company. 12 years matured (ex-Bourbon barrels) malt whisky is a basic product of Knockdhu. AnCnoc is best known in the UK, but has sales in other parts of Europe and the world. A 70 cl bottle cost € 30 in Latvia.

The nose is very traditional for whiskys in the Speyside area. Light and soft, fruity, malty. A little honey, vanilla and caramel. The taste is light and malty but also quite sharp. The taste has dried fruit, vanilla and nuts. The aftertaste has bitter oak and dry spiciness, cinnamon and a little pepper. The flavor leads to the thought that several times recycled oak barrels have been used for maturing. AnCnoc has the same elements as many well known blended whiskies like Ballantines and Grant’s, but the taste is a few steps more intense. AnCnoc is a good basic whiskey, yet very conventional and does not wake up any bigger passions. It is a smooth and well-suited, light and fruity malt whisky. At least in the Baltic states it is priced the same level as Glenfiddich and Glenlivet, so if you are a friend of those, you should give a try to AnCnoc also.

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