The Whiskyphiles

Knockando

knockando-distillery

History Knockando Distillery was built by John Tytler Thomson in 1898, and is named after the village in which it stands. The name derives from Scottish Gaelic Cnoc Cheannachd, meaning “Hill of Commerce”. The village is home to a few other small houses and the larger Knockando House, and is surrounded by woods in which there are buzzards, Red Squirrel and Roe Deer. In 1904 the distillery was purchased by W & A Gilbey, a gin producer from London, becoming part of J&B / Grand Metropolitan in the 1960s and 1970s, and is now owned by multinational firm Diageo. Knockando was the first distillery in Scotland to be built with electric lighting. In 1905 it was linked directly to the Great North of Scotland Railway, which connected Grantown-on-Spey with the main towns of north-east Scotland. Cottages for distillery workers were built nearby, as well as a house for the Customs and Excise Officer. The distillery currently lies near the disused Tamdhu Station, very close to the beginning of the Speyside Way. The railway has long since been dismantled. Knockando Distillery is home to a famous selection of casks which went into the J & B Ultima blend in 1994 to celebrate the quincentennary of Scotch Whisky. This blend contained 128 different whiskies (116 Malt & 12 Grain) and 1 of each of these casks is still maturing in the Warehouse.

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling
  • Knockando 12 Years Old 1997 (2013) – Knockando 12 Years Old 1997 (43%, OB, 2009) 43% ABV, RRP €25 for 70cl Score 69/100 What they say: Not a lot so here’s a little about the distillery: Knockando Distillery was built by John Tytler Thomson in 1898, and is named after the village in which it stands. The name derives from Scottish Gaelic Cnoc an […]
  • knockando-12-year-old-2003-whisky Knockando 12 Years Old 2003 (2020) – Knockando 12 Years Old 2003 Whisky Review: A fruity and creamy expression with more than a touch of minerality, more like antacids than Edinburgh rock, reasonably pleasing creamy texture but a bit meh flavour wise. 74/100
  • knockando-12-year-old-2004-whisky Knockando 12 Years Old 2004 (2020) – Knockando 12 Years Old 2004 Whisky Review: Wow, quite different from the 2003 vintage, juicier and more sherried and much less drying/oaky and spiced. 82/100
  • knockando-15-year-old-1997-whisky Knockando 15 Years Old 1997 (2020) – Knockando 15 Years Old 1997 Whisky Review: Malty and floral, spicy and nutty, coffee, etc, this has it all but is perhaps a little too spiced for me. 82/100
  • knockando-15-year-old-1999-whisky Knockando 15 Years Old 1999 (2020) – Knockando 15 Years Old 1999 Whisky Review: Much more sherried than the 1997 vintage, in texture, colour and flavour. A completely different beast, still with plenty of nutty and floral notes but superior overall. 85/100
  • knockando-18-year-old-1994-slow-matured-whisky Knockando 18 Years Old 1994 (2020) – Knockando 18 Years Old 1994 Whisky Review: Quite deep and dark with plenty of woody and malty notes and distinct sherry influence with dried fruits such as raisins, plenty of caramel and toffee also, very nice. 85/100
  • knockando-18-year-old-1998-slow-matured-whisky Knockando 18 Years Old 1998 (2020) – Knockando 18 Years Old 1998 Whisky Review: Much fresher and zestier then the 1994 expression, much more barley influence is discernible here and a much better balance is struck because of it. Plenty of chocolate and orange notes combine well and are prevented from becoming too heavy/cloying by a grapefruit zest freshness. 86/100
  • knockando-21-year-old-1994-master-reserve-whisky Knockando 21 Year Old 1994 (2016) – Knockando 21 Year Old 1994 Master Reserve (43%, OB, 2016) Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky Origin: Knockando Distillery Bottling: Diageo ABV: 43% Cost: £68.72 What they say: As the Knockando Distillery Manager, I am proud to present an exceptional single malt whisky, Knockando Master Reserve. Whisky maturation is a mysterious art rather than a […]
Independent Bottling