Knockdhu Distillery

History
Knockdhu Distillery in Banffshire opened its doors in 1894 thanks to founder John Morrison, who brought the story of anCnoc to life. The location combined fieldwork with plenty of peat and clear springs nearby; the nearby railway made it easy to share a gift of nature with the world.

Water Value and the Name's Meaning

The source of the distillate comes from the nearby Knock Hill, whose Gaelic name Knockdhu gives the name to both the district and the brand. anCnoc is Gaelic for the hill and represents a notable distinction, in that the brand is not named after the distillery itself.

A New Era

Knockdhu operated until 1931 and has since faced economic downturns and war-time restrictions, where grain quantities were often affected. In 1988, the distillery became the first to be purchased by Inver House Distillers, and since then it has maintained a blend of tradition and innovative approach.

A Time-Tested Production Process

The process has remained largely unchanged since 1894: Knock Hill supplies the water, two copper stills are built to the same design, and the distinctive curved bottoms and narrow necks give a light, fresh style to the whisky.

Modern Character and Responsibility

Although production is traditional, Knockdhu uses a steadfast amount of innovation and a sustainable approach. Whisky is aged in American and Spanish oak casks, and the thick granite walls in the dunnage warehouses contribute to a stable temperature and a consistent dram with an open and contemporary approach.

Philosophy and Heart in Production

anCnoc is produced primarily as a curious and modern single malt using traditional production methods that have been refined through generations. This ties the distillery's roots to the modern whisky enthusiast.

Production / Manufacturing

Ethos and Sustainability

As history shows, anCnoc combines traditional methods with innovation and sustainability. One of the few things that is not reused or repurposed is the angel's share.

Pioneering Wetlands

Within the distillery's area they have developed a groundbreaking wetland program by using excess water from the mash house, tun room and spent lees. It is treated locally and reused to support animal and plant life, return water to the burn and remove unnecessary travel distances. This is implemented by SEPA and has reduced CO2 by around 45 tonnes per year.

Water and Resource Efficiency

All water drawn from the sources is used at least seven times through the process to reduce waste and ensure that nothing goes to waste in whisky production.

Dunnage Warehouse and Renovated Granite

A new dunnage warehouse has been built using recycled traditional granite from a warehouse that collapsed during a major snow event in 2010. The finishing detail is a colorful stained glass window that depicts the distillery's pagoda and binds past and present.

Consistency and Quality

The core of the maturation takes place in hand-selected American oak casks for bourbon maturation and finished in sherry casks from Spain. The granite walls help to maintain a stable temperature and thus the whisky's consistency and quality.

Modern Whisky

Our wort is a deeply rooted part of a modernized approach, where traditional methods are balanced with contemporary experimentation to create a curious and yet approachable style of single malt.

Products / Whisky Series

12 Years Old

Key information: ABV 40%. Nose – soft and aromatic with a hint of honey and lemon. Palate – sweet onset with fruity character and a long, smooth finish. This is considered one of our flagship whiskies.

18 Years Old

Maturation in Spanish ex-sherry and American ex-bourbon casks; ABV 46%. (Detailed tasting notes not fully recorded in the source.)

24 Years Old

Aged in both bourbon and sherry casks; ABV 46%. (Detailed tasting notes are described in the source as a progression of the classic anCnoc flavor.)

Peatheart Batch 3

Peat-heart: Peat content and smoky character; ABV 46% and approx. 13.3 PPM (phenol parts per million). Nose: sweet barbecue smoke and herbs; Palate: full-bodied smoke with notes of green apples and citrus; Finish: vanilla and smoke.

113 Sherry Cask Finish, Peated Edition

Knockdhu Distillery; ABV 43%. Nose: honey and tropical fruits, cinnamon and rich toffee; Palate: toffee apples with warm spices and long smoky finish.

114 Peatheart Batch 3

Knockdhu Distillery; ABV 46%. Nose: honey and spices blended with peat smoke; Palate: peaty smoke blended with green apples and citrus; Finish: vanilla and oily smoke.

108 Peat

Peat content 40 PPM. ABV 46%. Nose: charred wood and smoke; Palate: smoky with a touch of sweetness; Finish: smoke and nutty notes.

4-2009 (Vintage 2009)

Matured in Spanish and American oak casks; non-chill filtered and natural color; ABV 46%. Nose and tasting notes describe classic honey and citrus, spiced with notes from American oak and a smooth finish.

125th Anniversary Peat

A special celebration of the 125th anniversary with a Peat expression (peated edition) in Lookout for Black Hill, Knockdhu and the anCnoc name. (Details not specified in the source.)

The Archive

Older or unique editions, which previously could be available through the collectors' market; details are not elaborated in the source.

Visits and Experiences

Knockdhu describes itself as a distillery with roots in tradition and an open, contemporary approach. Their focus on sustainability and cultural storytelling is central to their history and products, but concrete information about tours or opening hours is not in the text.

Philosophy

Knockdhu and anCnoc focus on a harmony between timeless craftsmanship and innovation. They emphasize sustainability through projects like the wetlands program and water reuse. They seek consistency and quality through stable temperatures and the preservation of the traditional distillation method while embracing modern possibilities and local building skills.