Knockdhu 7yo 58.2% ABV Hand Fill (A.D.Rattray).

This Knockdhu was distilled in 2012, it was matured in an ex bourbon cask, possibly 1st fill, for 7 years, and was hand filled on 5/9/19 at 58.2% ABV.

Appearance

Very very light again, totally white wine in colour. The medium thick swirl line beads up immediately, and drops a handful of full thick legs on my Glencairn. #thewhiskeychaps

Nose

The ABV is really starting to show now, nosing it I can taste it on the back of my palate. Lots of cereals and grains, with gentle fruits. Apricot crowns, and yes @BertSmedley the thick icing on the top of a cherry Bakewell tart. #thewhiskeychaps

I get a faint whiff of lager and lime with this one too, with an oiliness, tropical fruit flapjack, and flan base, and evergreen woods. #thewhiskeychaps

Palate

Nice mouthfeel, not over oily or watery, and yes plenty of spices again. This spirit really hold onto spices rather nicely. Atm this is a copy of the nose, elegant, and nicely integrated for a 7yo dram. #thewhiskeychaps

I’m getting plums now, actually it’s developing into darker fruits, with chocolate, and espresso coffee sweetened with vanilla syrup. #thewhiskeychaps

Finish

A little drying, weetabix, golden syrup, light ginger, lots of pastries #thewhiskeychaps

My thoughts

If you know me, you’ll know that i’m rather fond of independently bottled whisky, but not all of them. Talking from my experience with a good few indie bottlers i can safely say that A.D.Rattray are one of my favourite bottlers. They bottle the type of whisky that interests me, unusual and otherwise unavailable distilleries, or higher strength releases from distilleries who only release low abv core bottles. This release is exactly the kind of whisky i love to find and taste.

Well, no surprise i suppose, in my opinion this is a cracker of a whisky. I’m a big fan of Knockdhu whisky in it’s usual ancnoc form, and the extra abv really does show how good their whisky can be. The nose and palate are copies of each other, and it’s all married together so well. This is one of those drams that i feel is more than the sum of its parts. I would 100% have a bottle of this in my whisky cupboard, and i’d thoroughly enjoy it.