You don’t see too many bottlings from anCnoc distillery, let alone single cask exclusives. Recently distillery manager Gordon Bruce selected this ex-bourbon cask #649 for the Dutch market.
anCnoc 15 yo 2007 (52,2%, OB for The Netherlands 2023, ex-bourbon cask #649, 180 btl.)
Nose: a fresh profile on lemon candy, oranges, gooseberries and unripe pineapple. Then plenty of barley notes, ale and a hint of honey. Light coconut and floral overtones in the background. Some fresh oak shavings and gingery notes as well. All very natural.
Mouth: sweet and creamy, with some fruit syrup at first. This quickly turns towards oak shavings and spice. White pepper, candied ginger and a hint of nutmeg. Then some zesty citrus. Hints of green tea and grassy notes, as well as light honey and just a little vanilla fudge.
Finish: medium length, with more of this grassy side. Some green apple and ginger.
This anCnoc single cask is an honest (active) bourbon cask, with clean aromas but not much to make it stand out. Pretty close to wider releases to the 16 Year Old for instance. Perhaps a bit expensive for what it has to offer. Still available from several Dutch retailers, such as Whiskysite.nl.