Knockando

Knockando – The elegant hidden gem from Speyside

The Knockando Distillery, situated in the heart of Speyside near the picturesque town of Knockando, is a quiet yet fascinating example of the art of Scotch whisky-making. The name is derived from the Gaelic ‘Cnoc-an-dhu’, which means ‘little black hill’. The distillery was founded in 1898 by John Thompson on the banks of the River Spey. However, the timing proved to be extremely unfavourable: just one year later, in 1899, the speculative bubble in the whisky industry burst, and Thompson was forced to close the distillery after only ten months of production. It was not until 1904 that the disused distillery was sold for a pittance of 3,500 pounds to W. & A. Gilbey Ltd., and production resumed .

The following decades were marked by a succession of changes in ownership: in 1952,Justerini & Brooks took over the estate ; in 1969, the number of stills was doubled from two to four ; and in 1975, Knockando passed to International Distillers & Vintners (IDV). A memorable milestone came in 1985, when, in the presence of the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the one-billionth bottle Knockando was bottled . Since the merger of Grand Metropolitan and Guinness in 1997, the distillery has been part of the global group Diageo .

What sets Knockando apart from most other single malts is its unusual bottling practice: the whiskies are presented as vintage releases (Vintage), meaning they bear both the year of distillation and the year of bottling on the label . The core range comprises 12- to 21-year-old bottlings, which are predominantly matured in bourbon and sherry casks. The 12-year-old Knockando, which forms the heart of the range, captivates with a fruity, delicate character featuring subtle, smooth notes of almonds, toffee and cream, which give way to an increasingly dry finish. Connoisseurs describe it as one of the most elegant and accessible Speyside whiskies.

Although Knockando is relatively unknown in the UK, it ranks among the Diageo Group’s best-selling malts – it is particularly popular in France and Spain. Since 2005, Knockando has been an official part of the famous ‘Classic Malts of Scotland’ series. With an annual production of 1.5 million litres , the distillery remains a key component of the J&B blend and an insider’s tip for anyone who appreciates a delicate, fruit-forward Speyside malt.