Knockando 12 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Knockando - Speyside

Bourbon and Sherry Casks 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2021

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

Like its elders from the same Core Range, Knockando 12 yo was created in 2021, because previously all bottles of Knockando were vintage.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is light, evanescent, sponge cake, vanilla, ethereal white fruit, a drop of honey, buttered toast, grainy cereals, beeswax, apricots and mirabelles. Pastry cream, a pinch of icing sugar. Quite fruity on the palate, with orchard fruits, green apples and Comices pears, but also yellow plums, honey and a touch of bitterness from the wood, discreet spices. It dries out at the end, giving way to a short finish, which crumbles very quickly and disappears as if it had never been there. Candied lemon and banana.

In Short, 

It's a low-end whisky, and the question is whether it's good for the price it's offered at, which is often very low. And I don't really have an answer, the fact is that there's not a lot of pleasure to be found in it. The Sherry is nowhere to be found, it's just there to round things off a bit. The casks leave a bitter taste, and the nose is really light.

Score : 81

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Laura Murren - This Love is From Below

Knockando 15 yo Richly Matured

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Knockando - Speyside

Refill Bourbon Barrels and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2022

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

Like the 18yo, this 15yo used to be vintage, but it stopped in 2022, at the same time as the Distillers Edition. Knockando is another of those distilleries where most of the production (I read 92%) is used to supply Blends, in this case J&B and Spey Royal.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is full-bodied, with fruits, hazelnuts and chocolate. Baked apples, filled dates, caramel, rough cereals such as rye or millet, dried figs. Buttery notes, very discreet floral hints. On the palate, it's unfortunately light, but there's honey and malted barley, milk chocolate, cinnamon and cloves, some white fruits. A touch of orange zest. The finish is relatively short and unremarkable, liquorice, cocoa powder, coffee. A bit of earth and bark, cola.

 

In Short, 

It's not bad, but I think it's meant to be drunk quickly. It doesn't really lend itself to tasting. There are some interesting things, but the whole is light and unremarkable. It's still quite decent, though. A bit expensive for the quality of the product, but cheap for its age.

Score : 84

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Phantogram - Don't Move

Knockando 18 yo Slow Matured

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Knockando- Speyside

Bourbon Barrels and European Oak Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2022

Totally Unpeated

Knockando 18 yo has been around for a very long time, at least since the 90s, but until now it was vintage. Since 2022, it is no longer so. However, it is still coloured and chill-filtered.

Let's Taste It : 

Light citrus, lemon, but also grapefruit and even a zest of orange. Ethereal vanilla, it's airy but not really full-bodied. Spring freshness, with orchard fruits and leafy hints. Dried grapes with a touch of caramel and wood. On the palate, malty notes and white fruits, peaches, pears, dates and plums, banana. Non-disturbing spices. Beeswax. Fairly long but light finish, nuts and young wood, but with bark. Almonds, and a bit of vanilla coming back.

 

In Short, 

It's probably the best value for an 18yo, but it's also probably the weakest 18yo I've ever drunk. That said, it's not bad, quite pleasant to drink, but nothing remarkable either. There's a nice balance.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Naomi SV - The Garden