Though fortunately, they’re now prominently positioning and pushing themselves into the dramming limelight as a brand that's proudly driven by tradition but moving forward with a contemporary vision.
Recently I was fortunate enough to sample the ‘anCnoc’ 16 year old, which quite literally delivered a dramtabulous dose of summer during the height of a fairly unforgiving winter.
The nose kicks off with a summer breeze of floral freshness and grassy garishness, followed by a sweet wave of Bartlett pears and a selection of freshly picked red berries.
A whiff of lemon green tea along with some reverberating oaky overtones make for the next set of nasal delights, along with a few subtle hints of steamed summer greens and a frond or two of fennel.
The nose then concludes with a decadent afternoon tea of deliciousness, with the amalgamated aromas of freshly baked pastries, vanilla crème patisserie, clotted cream and a big splodge of damson jam.
The palate delivers a wealth of semi weighty wonders, which tantalise, tease and tingle the tastebuds. Starting off with a trio of lemon based delights in the form of sherbet, bon bons and curd.
Those Bartlett pears make a reappearance, this time accompanied by a few cheeky ripe Cox’s apples and a couple of chopped oak logs. Followed by a glugged infusion of honey, vanilla, apricot jam and a handful of crushed walnuts.
Just when you think the proceedings couldn’t get any sweeter a big slice of summer pudding lands on the palate, along with a few frosted ‘Shreddies’. Then a hint of something rather clove oil-esque helps balance out and assemble all the aforementioned palatable delights for its lingering longish finish.
This may be my first but it certainly will not be my last adventure into the dramming world of ‘anCnoc’. The 16 year old is a pure glass of summer, that I urge each and everyone of you to give a whirl, that’s of course if you haven’t done so already.
