Knockdhu has, for most of its history, supplied malt to blends — chiefly Haig and later Inver House Distillers — with the single malt programme remaining a quiet sideline until comparatively recently. The 22 Year Old is therefore something of an act of patience: stocks set aside long before AnCnoc was anything like the brand it is today.
Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry oak, the whisky carries its age lightly. There is none of the dry, splintery oak that sometimes besets older single malts; instead, the wood serves the spirit, framing the honeyed Knockdhu distillate with darker fruit and a deeper polish.
The 46% strength and absence of chill filtration are essential here. At a lower bottling strength much of the texture would be lost, and with it the slow development on the palate that distinguishes a properly matured malt from a merely old one.
This is a contemplative dram, suited to a quiet hour rather than a crowded room. It will reward those who already know AnCnoc 12 or 16 and want to follow the house style into longer maturation. For a Highland single malt of this age, the price remains reasonable by current standards — a reminder that Knockdhu, despite its quality, has never traded on hype.
