The anCnoc 18 Year Old is drawn from stocks laid down at Knockdhu Distillery in the late 1990s, matured in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish oak sherry butts. It is bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill-filtered and without added colour — a deliberate statement from a distillery long content to supply blenders rather than court the connoisseur.
Knockdhu was founded in 1894 and has always been a modestly sized operation, its output historically destined for the Haig blends. When Inver House Distillers acquired the site in 1988, they began releasing older stocks under the anCnoc name. The 18 arrived as part of a push to present the distillery's cleaner, more citric character in a more serious frame.
The nose opens on dried fruit and orange peel, with honeyed malt and a clear sherry influence — raisin, polished oak, a touch of dark chocolate. The palate is noticeably fuller than the 12, carrying sultanas, marmalade, barley sugar and toasted almond, with gentle baking spice at the edges. The 46% bottling strength gives it weight without heat.
The finish runs long, with soft oak tannin, cocoa and dried citrus lingering pleasantly. It is a composed, well-judged Highland malt that rewards slow drinking. Where the 12 is straightforward, the 18 is more considered — still unmistakably anCnoc in its light-footed Highland style, but with the depth that additional years in good wood supply.
