An Cnoc 12

About the distillery: An Cnoc (Gaelic for "the hill" and also known as Knockdhu [note: *not* the same as Knockando]) was established in the 1890s, but for much of its history this Highlands Speyside distillery produced malt for blends. It was only in the 1990s (after a closure in the early 1980s) that it began to make official single malt bottlings. It remains a fairly infrequently seen whisky.

Tasting notes: Nose is soft and spicy, becoming fruity with water. Color is medium rich. Body is strong but lightly smooth. The finish is long with a deep penetration. The taste is spicy fruit, smooth, caressing, and subdued. Benefits well from a drop of water, becoming fruity and delicious. This is a proper scotch, very drinkable. It would make an ideal introductory whisky once you've moved beyond the great standards of Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Aberlour, and Macallan. Drinks well at any time, but works nicely after a meal.

You will like this if you like: Aberlour, Knockando, Glendronach.

Rating: taster one, 84; taster two, 79; taster three, 75. Average: 79.