AnCnoc Peated Sherry Cask Finish | Whisky Review

Physical Whisky Characteristics

Origin: The whisky comes from the Nokdu distillery, located at the foot of a mountain named Anok, which provides the crystal clear water for the whisky. This distillery was built in 1894, during the Victorian age.
Type: It is a single malt Scotch whisky.
Distillation and Maturation Process: The distillery uses a unique cooling process involving cast iron boxes with huge pipes, a method not commonly seen in Scotland. This whisky is peated and has a sherry cask finish.
Age Statement: Not explicitly mentioned, but there is a reference to a popular 12-year-old variant from the same distillery.
Color and Bottle Design: The whisky has a dark amber color, which is natural and uncolored. The bottle design for peated variants like this one is darker compared to the typical light and white appearance of their other bottles.

Balance of Flavors: The peated malt matured in sherry casks offers a harmonious balance between smoky and sweet flavors.
Unique Characteristics: Notable for its sweet honey and tropical fruit notes, with cinnamon and rich toffee, all enveloped in delicate campfire smoke. The taste profile includes toffee apples, warming spices, deep vanilla, and a rich, sweet, and smoky character.
Comparison: The whisky distinguishes itself with a campfire smoke aroma rather than the phenolic, hospital-like smoke found in some other peated whiskies.

Personal Visit: Horst Luening recounts a personal visit to the distillery in 1994, led by the distillery manager and his Scottish shepherd dog, highlighting the intimate and detailed experience.
Distillery History: The distillery's unique cooling equipment and its primary role in supplying whisky to the blend industry, with only a small portion bottled as single malt, are discussed.

Historical Context: Built in 1894, the distillery's Victorian-era origins and its location at the foot of Anok mountain play a significant role in its identity and the quality of the whisky produced.

Horst Luening's Opinion: "Really good. Very well done. Recommend it. I like it."
Flavor Appreciation: Luening expresses a preference for peated whiskies that are matured or finished in sherry casks, finding them more harmonious.

AnCnoc Peated Sherry Cask Finish is a single malt Scotch whisky from the Nokdu distillery, featuring a unique distillation process and a peated sherry cask finish.
The whisky offers a harmonious balance of sweet and smoky flavors, with notes of honey, tropical fruit, cinnamon, toffee, and campfire smoke.
The distillery's Victorian-era origins and unique cooling equipment contribute to the whisky's distinct profile.
Horst Luening highly recommends this whisky, praising its balance and the pleasant campfire smoke aroma.

Peated Whisky Enthusiasts: Individuals who enjoy a smoky flavor profile but are looking for something with a sweet balance will appreciate this whisky.
Sherry Cask Finish Fans: Those who favor the rich, complex flavors that sherry cask finishing imparts to whisky will find this peated variant particularly enjoyable.
Whisky Collectors: Collectors interested in unique distillation processes or historical distilleries may find the AnCnoc Peated Sherry Cask Finish a worthy addition to their collection.
Beginners to Peated Whisky: Newcomers curious about peated whisky but wary of overly smoky flavors might find this sherry cask-finished variant a more approachable introduction.