Ancnoc

The history

The Knockdhu Distillery was built in 1893 by Distillery Company Limited (DCL) and received its distillery license a year later under John Haig. Because of the high demand already more warehouses were built in 1898. Since the distillery was very important for the region, the Great North of Scotland Railway even built its own station.

In 1924, the distillery changed hands for the first time when it was bought by Distillers Agency Ltd. These merged in 1930 with the DCL, which transferred the management to its subsidiary SMD in Scotland. In 1931 the distillery was shut down because of too high a stock. Only after the 2nd World War Knockdhu was put back into operation in 1947.

Another time Knockdhu was shut down in 1983, due to lack of demand. In the meantime the UDV arose because of the assumption of the DCL by Guinness. Nevertheless, the distillery remained closed. Only after Inver House Distillers Ltd bought Knockdhu did the production resume in 1989.

Inver House Distillers Ltd and Knockdhu have been part of International Beverage Holding Ltd since 2001.

The production

Since 1960, the operation of its own malting plant has been discontinued. The reason for this was the decommissioning of the so important railway line, over which Knockdhu got her barley and coal delivered.

Since then, the malt has come from large maltings, is stored in new malt silos and ground by the old Porteus mill.

The Malts of Knockdhu are mainly used for the blends of John Haig. Since 1990, however, there are also single-malt bottlings that were first marketed under the name> Knockando <, but later were renamed because of likelihood of confusion in> anCnoc <. Only independent bottlers use the old name for their bottlings.

The storage

Only the whiskeys that are intended as single malts are housed in their own low warehouses with natural soils. The remainder is transported to the warehouses of Inverhouse in Airdrie.

The malts are matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.