Peated anCnoc

anCnoc is whisky from Knockdhu distillery, a distillery located in the scottish highlands, just inside Speyside by the SWA definitions. They do label themself as "Highland" though, which is okay, since all Speyside is also Highland. The company behind anCnoc has decided not to brand their whisky as Knockdhu, but anCnoc instead. I have heard it's so they won't be confused with Knockando, which is a totally diferent distillery, located further down south in Speyside

I was sent these samples to participate in a twitter tasting, but weren't able to participate so decided to put them on the blog instead. Lukasz (one of the Edinburgh Whisky Blog guys) now works in marketing for Inver House (anCnoc, Balblair, Pulteney, Balmenach and Speyburn) and he occasionally sends me a sample or two even if he once described me as the toughest reviewer on the internet, I took that as a compliment :-)

Look at the tools

The weird names of these whiskies, rutter, tushkar and flaughter are the actual names of traditional tools used to dig peat. If you look at the labels you can see drawings of them.

On my first trip to Islay in 2001 I have actual tried to use a tushkar, when I "helped" some locals cut some peat near the airport. I think I was no good at it, as they decided after 3 minutes that they didn't need my help anyway.

All three are NAS (No Age Statement). All are 46%

rutter is peated to 11ppm, flaughter to 14.8ppm and tushkar 15.0ppm

Peat is measured in phenol content parts per million (ppm). Peated whisky is normally associated with whisky from Islay, where Bowmore is 20ppm and the rest is higher with Caol Ila/Lagavulin at 35ppm and Ardbeg/Laphroag in the 45-55ppm range. So by the peat content this is lightly/medium peated. This is before tasting them, I still expect some peat, as peat deterioate with time in the barrel and as this is NAS therefore likely to be younger whisky, I still expect the peat to be present. 

Drinking too much peated whisky in my early years has sometimes made me peat immune though

Here we go

1. anCnoc rutter. 46% 11.0ppm

Matured in american oak hogshead

My immediate reaction when nosing this is youth, but it's almost immediate overtaken by a very nice warm citrusy nose. Is citrus normally coming with a "warm" feeling to me. No. 

Easy to drink. A faint hint of peat, but this is more about juicy fruityness to me. Citrus, little bit of vanilla, lip balm,  

The finish has  a little bitterness, much more vanilla and is again fruity and citrusy. Medium-long. And even more vanilla. Loads. The finish is a winner on this one. 

A bit youthful, but if you like vanilla, peat and citrus this is your thing

Rating 83/100

2. anCnoc flaughter. 46% 14.8ppm

Matured in a selection of american oak casks

Again a little young on the first impression, but not much. Sweetness and maltyness is the first thing coming into my mind, the a bit of peat. This is like a slightly sweeter version of rutter, more oily, and again a lot of vanilla. Creamy vanilla, a full bodied dram. Slightly more peaty than the rutter as the ppm also suggests.

Rating 84/100

3. anCnoc tushkar. 46% 15.0ppm

Matured in first refill american ex-bourbon barrels (This means right after bourbon, I asked!)

Wow, this is very spicy vanillaed, the fresher wood really shows. Very fresh, the peat is also apperent but still on the subtle side. Again, like the others, I have the vanilla dominating the finish, and the vanilla in the tushkar finish is a lot more present, compared to the first two. Really nice

The tushkar is for the swedish market only

Rating 85/100

These drams would be a perfect way to introduce peat to people who are a little fragile to the Islay style

I am glad they didn't do any marsala, redwine, grand marnier or tokaji finish or whatever way it's trendy to ruin whisky these days, but chose this way of presenting this style in different lights!! But where's the cask strength version ?. A few bottles for entusiasts wouldn't hurt. I actually think that the swedes should have gotten a full strength version. Us scandinavians like rough strong whiskies, and peat is very popular

Note: I am positively biased to AnCnoc, they hosted one of the best events I have joined at the numerous Spirit of Speyside festivals I have attended. You know, one of those events that is affordable, the whisky free flowing and the tour and tasting relaxed and personal. Doesn't happen that often anymore in the big world of whisky

Beginner's Guide to Whisk(e)y part 2 : Peated Whiskies

Peated Whisky...

Amateur peat digger on Islay..

It's whisky with a smoky flavour. Medicinal flavour. It's very different. It's an acquired taste. Some love it, some hate it.

The flavour origins from peat being used as fuel to dry the malted barley. The peatsmoke infuses the barley with these characteristic flavours. The barley is then used to brew a beer which is distilled into what becomes whisky!

Here's a small guide to help you find peaty and smoky whiskies!

There is almost 100 distilleries in Scotland. Of these just 7 distilleries makes a peated whisky as their main product. Yes, just 7!

They are :

Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Caol Ila, Kilchoman and Talisker

The first 6 are located on the isle of Islay, Talisker is on the isle of Skye

Islay, Queen of the Hebrides

Kilchoman on Islay started production recently, in 2005.

Port Ellen on Islay closed production in 1983, but whisky from this distillery is still available. It's old by now!

The last two Islay distilleries are traditionally making non-peated whisky. Bruichladdich has a side production of various peated versions (They call it Port Charlotte and Octomore). Bunnahabhain also has made smaller productions of peated whisky. But do assume that Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain is NOT peated unless you can read so on the label.

Two more distilleries could be added to this list. Ardmore, from the East Highlands, is somewhat peated but harder to find. Highland Park is also moderately peated but not much in my opinion. These are not peated on the same scale as the others mentioned here, but occasional you find bottlings from these distilleries where the peat is dominant

A lot of distilleries uses tiny amounts of peat in their production, but if you are searching peaty whiskies this is not really what you are looking for.

Just like Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain, quite a few distilleries have been or is making smaller productions of peated whisky. This has been done both to accomodate blends, but also as a part of a general peated release from the distilleries.

The more well known of these are Tobermory (Ledaig), Springbank (Longrow), Edradour (Ballechin), Tomintoul (Old Ballantruan), Isle of Jura, Arran, Benriach and Benromach.
Harder to find, there are peated versions of Caperdonich, Bladnoch, Glen Garioch, Fettercairn, Glen Scotia, Loch Lomond and probably more. You never know what distilleries have hidden inside their warehouses over the years.

Outside Scotland, you can find peated whiskies from Japan (Hakushu and Yoichi to name a couple, but read labels, these are not peated by default). Cooley from Ireland and Amrut from India has also been making peated versions. McCarthy's from Oregon is a peated american single malt whiskey.

The ones I high-lighted in red should be part of any aspiring whisky entusiasts whisky eduction and if you are really ambitious I would try to source out some Brora from 1970-1972 or so, but it will cost you

Ardbeg

PS There's is so much more to be told about peated whiskies, there has been written full books on the subject, I can personally recommend Peat, Smoke and Spirit by Andrew Jefford

PPS Phenols, which is the molecules responsible for the peaty flavours are broken down as a whisky matures. Peaty flavours are slowly lost as a cask matures