What makes you decide to drink something these days? Hard isn’t it, when there’s so much out there to choose from? Wine, beer, spirits? It’s a minefield and can take the fun out of you enjoying your well-deserved sundowner. I travelled to Inverness, Scotland, to help you out and update you on the best of the best, as I visited the distilleries of both anCnoc Whisky and Caorunn Gin, and savoured the joys of Bonny Scotland whilst I was at it.
THE JOURNEY
It’s painfully early, cold and wet and the trains are a mess, as per usual in our glorious capital. I contemplated staying in bed. However, one zippy flight to Inverness and the light was brought back into my life, quite literally; it was sunny in Scotland!
The air is sweeter, the pace more gentle, people smile more and this was only at the airport. Driving in the car and gazing at the undulating green of the hills, the blooming flowers, freshly oven-baked lambs roaming cutely and the blue skies made me abundantly grateful to be here. If you take nothing else from this, follow me and visit Scotland – it’s on our doorstep and utterly gorgeous (weather permitting).
THE DISTILLERY
Arriving at Knockdhu Distillery, the home of anCnoc whisky, near Huntley, Aberdeenshire, we were greeted by dogs, fish and chips and the team; charmingly known as the ‘Men of the Knock.’ The sun beat off the expanse of barley fields bursting with peat and from the clear and crisp water trickling from the springs.
Then we met Gordon, and things got even better. The manager of the distillery and someone who oozes warm Scottish charm and hospitality, we immediately felt we were at someone’s ‘home’ and not workplace, figuratively speaking that is. Vivacious about life and whisky, Gordon is testament to how one can change one’s mind about the amber nectar. Despite growing up in the area where whisky is in your DNA, he wasn’t born a fan but soon learnt that as you become more aware of how whisky is made, and how tweaking the process can change the spirit, you become more appreciative of what’s in your glass. Food for thought for all you non-whisky enthusiasts; please give it a go.
Established in 1984 by the pioneering John Morrison, the world of anCnoc was opened to us all. Knockdhu is known as one of the smallest and most enchanting distilleries in the Scottish Highlands, producing a refreshingly modern single malt with the most traditional skills and processes. How does this translate to you? It’s stunningly smooth, delicious and highly quaffable. The ‘Black Hill’ (the commanding natural mound next to us) continues to supply the water for the whisky-making process. The distillery’s two copper pot stills replicate the original 1984 design, their bulbous bases giving anCnoc its light, fresh, fruity flavour.
There’s always something romantic when you see whisky ageing in oak barrels, in this case American and Spanish – you start to daydream a little about their exotic previous lives, storing sherry or bourbon and their travels which finally landed them in Scotland. What they do give is an abundance of delicious flavour and roundness to anCnoc as they perform their ageing duties.
The distillery’s green credentials speak volumes – they are sustainable, low in carbon production and show unprecedented consideration of its local resources – we can all agree on how important such things are to us in these environmentally precarious times. Knockdhu invests in its technology and its people; they’ve even turned an area of wasteland into a wildlife pond.
THE TASTE
As promised I was here to help you leap head first into the world of whisky and embrace it. anCnoc is the PERFECT whisky to aid you with this. The 12-year-old is “a dram that has something for everyone.” Its gentle amber glow is soft and aromatic on the nose with a hint of honey and lemon. Sweet, fruity and yet complex, I highly recommend enjoying it in a Whisky Sour cocktail.
anCnoc 18 Year Old has matured for 16 years in the ex-bourbon barrels then a further 2 years in the sherry barrels before being bottled in the most natural form, neither chill-filtered or coloured. The taste of gentle spices and the intense flavour of dried fruits are topped with honey and caramel and finished with peppery notes. Pour, sip and savour this one.
DINNER
I’m not here to tell you about my dinner and what fun I had, other than it was marvellous. Please do go and dine with the good people at restaurant Orrin, and do also have the smoked salmon, you’ll be so pleased on both accounts. What I did want to mention were the excellent mixology skills here which set us up perfectly for our next day’s visit to the Caorunn Distillery. Vehemently proud of his heritage and the local produce, our vivacious bartender patiently taught us how to mix the perfect Caorunn cocktail. Gin with apple notes, shaken with brambles, honey, lemon and rosemary was a triumph – and even better, something you can easily recreate at home.
Laying my head down on my fluffy pillow at the Mansion House hotel, both my throat and heart had been warmed by the wonderful team at anCnoc and I was grateful not to have stayed in my own bed in grey and miserable London.
CAROUUN HISTORY
Pretty much everyone thinks they can make gin today – your auntie, your dentist, your cat; I’m telling you, they can’t. Distilling gin is a bonafide skill and craft, it’s not about ramming as many botanicals into a bottle as you can and hoping it won’t be toxic. The key to an excellent gin is simplicity and balance.
Since 2009 and long before the gin “boom”, Caorunn Gin has been handcrafted in small batches at Balmenach Distillery in the Speyside region of the Scottish Highlands. How can a gin shine through in a region famous for its whisky? I was about to find out.
Caorunn (pronounced ‘ka-roon’) is inspired by the Gaelic word for ‘Rowan Berry’. The humble rowan berry is one of the five Celtic botanicals that are at the heart of Caorunn. It uses Scotland’s natural pantry to source the rowan berry with four other Celctic botanicals; all of which can be found within a ten-minute walk of the distillery.
The liquid which is so skilfully and lovingly produced here is a national treasure, and indeed the number one selling gin in Scotland. Caorunn is a modern gin infused with 11 botanicals – when you do it right, you need no more. It’s also the only gin in the world to be distilled in a working Copper Berry Chamber, which allows the extraction of maximum flavour from the botanicals.
If you are ever in the area please do visit the distillery. Come to gaze and smell the abundance of heather and also partake in a fun exercise which allows you to test your nose and taste buds as you pretend to be a master blender.
HOW TO SAVOUR AT HOME?
The gin is exceptional when served with a few slices of red apple which echoes one of it’s signature botanicals – pour your simple tonic over your ice and gin and you have sheer perfection.
The Blood Orange is the citrusy edition of the Caorunn range and the perfect addition to any gin connoisseur’s collection. The distinctive taste of the Caorunn is further enhanced by the infusion of blood orange matched with a light fieriness to create something vibrant, refreshing and citrusy. With the amount of flavour packed into each mouthful it’s astonishing to learn this is also zero sugar, thus my recommendation is; ice, orange slices and a natural ginger ale or ginger beer.
If you’re feeling super ‘fun’ of an evening, do sample the Highland Strength Gin, coming in at 54% ABV. It actually doesn’t taste “stronger” or more ”harsh” – it’s softer than the London Dry as it marries the botanicals even more caressingly. Perhaps don’t have a double measure if you’re driving home though.
By far my favourite was the Raspberry Gin – having some knowledge of the difficulty of distilling fruit and getting any actual flavour or smell of real fruit, I was floored about the bang of raspberry which hits you and it is 100% all-natural – astonishing.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
- Go to Scotland.
- Don’t be scared of whisky. Your new best friend is anCnoc, to hold your hand as you begin to enjoy and later treasure whisky.
- Don’t waste your time on the ‘fashionable’ gin of the moment; Caorrun is everything you’ll ever need in any gin – traditional and yet sophisticated.
To discover more, visit: ancnoc.com and caorunngin.com
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All imagery courtesy of anCnoc / Caorunn Gin.