ANCNOC Peatheart

ANCNOC Peatheart is the most smoky of the heavily peated range from anCnoc. This dram is made using barley malted to 40 PPM, and aged in bourbon barrels before being bottled at a strength of 46% ABV. Throughout the Scottish uplands, most extensively in the north and west, you will find the heart of the peatlands. Remote and isolated yet rich in iconic wildlife, this environment rules the landscape and provides a valuable fuel for the whisky-making process. A natural resource, peat was historically embraced as fuel to fire the still and dry the barley for the distillation of whisky. It is traditionally cut by hand using several traditional cutting tools. Peatiness can be controlled by the amount of peat burnt and the humidity of the barley. Peat smoke produces chemicals called phenols and it is by its phenol content that a whisky’s ‘peatiness’ can be measured. This phenol content is expressed as PPM (parts per million) and to ensure consistency, Peatheart uses barley, specified by our Master Blender, malted to 40PPM.

The story of the Knockdhu distillery starts with a man of vision (who also had an eye for a good investment). In 1892 an enterprising chap named, John Morrison, bought the Knock estate. The surrounding land was full of peat and barley and the Great North Railway line ran nearby. So when springs of pure, clear water were found, John saw a golden opportunity. Samples of the water were sent for analysis and soon negotiations were under way with The Distillers Company of Edinburgh to build a distillery. Knockdhu opened its doors in October 1894. Back then it was regarded as the perfect embodiment of a modern distillery. So it’s perhaps no surprise that we still produce a light, intriguing and thoroughly modern whisky to this day.

Knockdhu Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is currently bottled under the Gaelic name anCnoc meaning “the hill”.