Knockando distillery was built in 1898 on the banks of the River Spey, near the village that shares its name. Its whisky has long served the J&B blending operation, providing the light, clean malt that gives J&B Rare its accessible, easy-drinking character. Unusually, Knockando was traditionally labelled by vintage rather than age — each bottle identifying the year of distillation — a practice that has been partly replaced by standard age statements in the current range.
The 12 Year Old is a straightforward expression of one of Speyside's lightest house styles. The spirit is clean, floral and gently sweet, without the assertiveness of sherried or peated malts. Twelve years in refill casks have added a gentle maturity, but the whisky remains firmly in the 'light and delicate' category. It is a blending malt that performs its role — providing a neutral, sweet, floral character — with quiet efficiency.
Knockando 12 is a pleasant, well-made Speyside malt for drinkers who prefer their whisky light and undemanding. It lacks the character or complexity to command attention in a crowded market, but at its price it offers fair value as an easy-drinking everyday dram. The vintage labelling tradition gives it a point of interest that the liquid alone might not provide.
