This #ThrowbackThursday we’re casting our minds back to the, anCnoc Vintage 1999, 2001 & 2001 Twitter Tasting. So what was it that made anCnoc Vintage 2001 stand out on the night? - With the help of, Barry from The Whiskyphiles, Norbert from Barman's Choice, That Dapper Chap and our very own Brand Ambassador Lukasz Dynowiak, we’re going to share with you a collection of tasting notes to whet your appetite for a dram of our latest Vintage release.
Firstly we handover to Lukasz to introduce anCnoc Vintage 2001:
“This Vintage 2001 is such a beauty. The anCnoc fingerprints are all over it with the signature runny honey and piercing citrus heart but it’s all grown up and rounded, more complex and finessed than you’d ever expect at this age. The citrus is darker than usual here, heavy and dense like Madeira cake soaked in that famous French orange liqueur, you know which one. What follows is a marriage of quality and… quality, that is the fragrant Knockdhu spirit and superb Spanish oak butts used for extra maturation. There is an array of intense spices here, from a hit of ground nutmeg and cloves to a gentle whiff of a freshly opened packet of peppercorns. Eventually a sublime hardwood note surges up, polished and perfumed.
The nose changes with water. I love how soft and jammy it becomes, revealing a very approachable and stunningly fruity side. Think a Japanese painting of a cherry tree on pure silk.
The taste lives up to the aroma which is no mean feat. There is a ray of citrusy intensity on the entry before the palate bursts open with a kaleidoscope of dried and candied fruit in creamy vanilla custard and just a hint of dark chocolate and chilli cheesecake. On the finish the spices flicker gently before giving way to warming oak tannins in the final statement.
It’s easy and approachable if you want it to be but complex and relentless if you focus on it and give it time. With the extra strength, extra maturation and no chill-filtration it promises greatness and delivers in the oh-so-typically anCnoc, understated way. What an absolute peach.”
The Whiskyphiles, by Barry
Nose:
Lighter citrus fruits lemon foam/cream, honey, estery, foam banana & white mice sweeties, white chocolate and macadamia nut, buttery
Taste:
White chocolate & vanilla, oily and sweet; clarified butter and oil-seed rape honey, biscuity cereal barley, citrus fruit; orange and tangerine and nutty macadamias
Palette:
Finish Medium-long, zesty lemon peel & pith with honey and vanilla
Summary:
This 2001 vintage grew on me, initially redolent of American oak, the vanilla nature slowly evolved to reveal white chocolate and Macadamia nut which I suspect derived more from the Spanish oak component of the maturation. Different from the classical sherry-led flavours of the 2000 vintage which I usually lean towards. This was equally as enjoyable and refreshingly different.
Barman's Choice, by Norbert
Nose:
Honey, baked apples covered with maple syrup
Taste:
The palate are sweet and creamy, a white chocolate with ginger. Vanilla and juicy, golden raisins
Palate:
I felt for seconds a freshly cut woody dryness what lead up a medium long and later more dry finish with nuts, warming spices with a hint of salt
Summary:
A classic example from Knockdhu's anCnoc modern tradition, nice work between the wood and that well known house style with light fruitiness and lot of honey and warm spices. Maybe a bit dry compared with the flagship 12YO but in an elegant way. More serious and calmed, a well-balanced easy to drink and easy to think about single malt whisky. Creamy charm all over!
If that’s not enough to tempt you to select anCnoc Vintage 2001 as your next dram, here’s a final comment from That Dapper Chap “the 2001 AnCnoc Whisky is a great little tipple, particularly for those that enjoy a very citrusy flavour and the orange and lemon really do come through. It's a beautiful rich colour too, and the spices add a dimension that can be missing from other whiskies. Give it a try and see what you think”