I’ve not reviewed a new anCnoc in a while, but earlier last year they have released two expressions celebrating their 125th anniversary, one of which is the ‘peat’. this is a NAS peated to 40 ppm and matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in Spanish oak butts before it was bottled at 46% ABV without any additional colouring or chill-filtration, with an outturn of 500 bottles.
anCnoc ‘Peat’, 40 ppm, 46% , £83
Nose: Sweet woodfire, glazed meats, and toasted oak, with a nice peaty backbone. Furthermore, there’s dried fruit in syrup, ash and soot, bacon strips in maple, spices and some more black fruit.
Palate: not as punchy as one would imagine, starting on black pepper and wood char, soot, ash, and cinnamon gum, more of the sultanas from the nose kick in, quite a lot of wood fire, dark fruit and spearmint, quite earthy too.
Finish: earthy, and sooty, black lapsang tea, pepper, and a nice sweet sherry, and then some more oak.
Conclusion: A very nice and yummy whisky, with a good balance of smoke, ash, fruit and sweet sherry influence. The palate is a bit soft, and I’d love to try that one at cask strength, I am sure it would score a few points higher. At any rate, lovely stuff. Enjoyed it quite a bit.