🥃 Knockdhu
Distillery in the village of Knock near Huntly, built in 1893–1894; its single malt has been sold as anCnoc since 1993; owned by Inver House Distillers.
Knockdhu is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the village of Knock, near Huntly, on the border of Aberdeenshire and Speyside. The Distillers Company built it in 1893, and production began in 1894. Since 1993 the whisky has been sold under the anCnoc brand. The owner is Inver House Distillers, which trades as International Beverage.
History. John Haig & Sons chose the site: there was a railway, barley fields, peat and four springs nearby. The distillery kept working through the Great Depression and the Second World War. It was mothballed in 1983, bought by Inver House in 1988, and production restarted in 1989. The name anCnoc, meaning “the hill” in Gaelic, was chosen so the whisky would not be confused with Knockando; Knockdhu means “Black Hill”.
How it is made. There are only two stills: one for the first distillation and one for the second. According to Whiskypedia, the spirit is condensed in worm tubs. Water comes from four springs on Knock Hill. Most of the malt is unpeated, but part of it is distilled from peated malt. Capacity is about 1.75 million litres a year.
The range. The core anCnoc expressions are 12 and 16 years old, and there is also a 10-year-old and a Peated Sherry Cask Finish. The peated versions, launched under the Peat Cutter series, appeared in 2014.
Why this matters to you. On the bottle you will see anCnoc, not Knockdhu: it is the same whisky from the same distillery. The age on the label refers to the youngest whisky in the blend, and by law the strength must be at least 40% ABV. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | built 1893, production from 1894; Distillers Company; Knock near Huntly |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Speyside per Whiskypedia) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | mostly unpeated barley malt, part peated; water from four springs on Knock Hill |
| Distillation method | twice, 2 copper stills (1 + 1), worm tubs; about 1.75 million litres a year |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; the core anCnoc expressions are 12 and 16 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV by law |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Knockdhu → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Old Pulteney
Frequently asked questions
Are anCnoc and Knockdhu the same?
Yes. Knockdhu is the name of the distillery, and anCnoc is the brand of its single malt since 1993.
Why was the whisky named anCnoc?
To avoid confusion with Knockando. anCnoc means “the hill” in Gaelic, and Knockdhu means “Black Hill”.
Who owns Knockdhu?
Inver House Distillers, since 1988; the company trades as International Beverage.
Is anCnoc peated?
Yes, peated versions have been made since 2014, starting with the Peat Cutter series; the main age-statement versions are unpeated.
When was Knockdhu founded?
It was built in 1893, and production began in 1894.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🍷 Sherry — Protected wine from the Jerez de la Frontera area of Andalusia, aged in oak casks in the solera system; 14 to 22 % alcohol.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Benrinnes · 🥃 Dailuaine · 🥃 Allt-a-Bhainne · 🥃 Tamdhu · 🥃 Auchroisk · 🥃 Tamnavulin
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Knockdhu (built 1893 by DCL, production 1894; Knock near Huntly; site chosen by John Haig & Sons; mothballed 1983; Inver House 1988, reopened 1989; anCnoc 1993 to avoid confusion with Knockando; 2 stills, worm tubs; four springs on Knock Hill; 1.75 mlpa; 12, 16, 21 YO; Peat Cutter 2014)
- anCnoc (official site): Our history (Knockdhu = Black Hill in Gaelic; anCnoc = 'the hill'; four natural springs on the Knock Estate; Inver House Distillers trading as International Beverage)
- ScotchWhisky.net: Knockdhu (production from October 1894; Inver House 1988; Knock near Huntly; 1.8 mln litres; spring water from Knock Hill; An Cnoc 1993; Peat Cutter 2014)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)