Knockando 15YO 700ml

Knockando 15 Year Old is a Speyside single malt made at Knockando in Moray. The label calls it Richly Matured, and it is bottled at 43% ABV. It is matured in two kinds of cask, ex-sherry and ex-bourbon, and the owner describes it as the latest addition to the Knockando family.

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The distillery takes its name from the Gaelic Cnoc-an-dhu, a phrase the owner translates as little black hill. Knockando is also an important malt in the J&B blend, but bottlings like this let you taste it on its own. The two cask types pull in different directions. Ex-bourbon wood keeps the spirit bright and adds vanilla and light oak, while ex-sherry casks bring cooked fruit, dark chocolate and sweet spice. After 15 years the result is fuller and warmer than a typical light Speyside malt, without tipping into a heavy sherry style.

Knockando’s own tasting notes:

Nose: Expressive, with cooked fruit, sweet spice, dark chocolate and sherry.

Palate: Intense and silky. Strong fruit meets woody notes and sherry for a rich warmth.

Finish: Long, with wood and sweet spice.

Pour it neat into a tulip glass first; a little water helps the fruit open out. Ice is fine on a hot day, but the sherry notes show most clearly without it. Try it with dark chocolate, a walnut tart or roast duck. It suits drinkers who enjoy older Speyside malts with a touch of sherry, and it makes a sound gift for someone moving up from 12 year old whiskies.