anCnoc 12 Year

Honey taste and meadowy smell

Nose: Slight understory scent, with mossy wet wood and some honeycomb. Taste: Reassuring dram for a cold winter day. Honey and vanilla notes, warm leather and cinnamon ending on a light salty note. Good whisky overall, ticks every box a good Highland malt should.

Had a little scotch session at my buddy's, this was one I picked up based on the glowing 98%tile ranking on Pf66 ( plus it was on sale for $40). Neat, decent legs and coat. Nose is extremely fresh and inviting. No damp/dank notes at all. Lemon buttercream frosting, sweet sliced apple and mild honeysuckle all come through the delicate aroma. When it opens up a solid malt presence arrives. Rich mouthfeel brings dense malt flavor with some honey, peppery spice and fruit. Finish is long malt and cinnamon honey with a touch of spicy smoke and drying wood char. Carries some warming heat with it. This is balanced, crisp and lively; a bit on the dry side but still quite enjoyable. It has a subtle nature but delivers a good maltiness with flavor complexity as well. This one requires time as it may not make a huge first impression. It does come in nicely and you can taste the quality and refinement for sure. I think its a strong non-peated example. 84/100............as I progressed through the bottle this got better and better. The big takeaway for me is just how fresh and lively this smells and tastes