Previously I have shared my tasting notes on anCnoc Stack (read it here) and Barrow (read it here). Both Stack and Barrow are peated whiskies. And now I am about to taste anCnoc Peatheart which is the latest addition to the peated whiskies form anCnoc Distillery.
Peatheart is bottled at 46 ABV and here is what they say about it:
Knockdhu Distillery, established in 1894, is one of the most enchanting in the Scottish Highlands. Bounded by an abundance of natural resources wonderfully suited to whisky making, the distillery lies in the shadow of nearby Knock Hill – home to springs of pure, clear water – and sits on the doorstep of a region rich in barley and peat.
A natural resource, peat was historically embraced as fuel to fire the still and dry the barley for the distillation of whisky. It is traditionally cut by hand using several traditional cutting tools.
Peatiness can be controlled by the amount of peat burnt and the humidity of the barley. Peat smoke produces chemicals called phenols and it is by its phenol content that a whisky’s ‘peatiness’ can be measured. This phenol content is expressed as PPM (parts per million) and to ensure consistency, Peatheart uses barley, specified by our Master Blender, malted to 40PPM.
The whisky is not available in Norway, but one of the Ladies bought a bottle in Sweden.
Elegant peat on the nose. Light. Grassy, freshly cut grass, and the smell of hay and herbs. Barn – in a good way, almost the way Springbank can be sometimes. I also get lemon candy. Peaty soda on the palate! Ginger beer with smoke. Fruit candy lozenges from a metallic can. Ginger and white pepper. Peaty finish! Chili, nutmeg and white pepper. Dry and nutty. Light and elegant and peaty all the way.
My score: nose 21 / taste 22 / finish 21 / balance 21 = 85
Thanks, Mark!
Image from anCnoc.com.
– Tone
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