A few months back, I sampled my initial Ancnoc, the Flaughter. While it was somewhat one-dimensional (peat and sweet), it possessed good balance and was enjoyable. I anticipated the Cutter, as its peat presence is slightly elevated. Regrettably, neither the enhanced peat nor the dram itself resonated with me. Although the peat isn't overpowering, it unfortunately overshadows everything else. Beneath the peat lies an indistinct blend of flavors from which I can discern little. And whereas the Flaughter's peat is quite agreeable, the Cutter's peat resembles bitter ash. The Flaughter is a decent whiskey, but I'm uncertain of the Cutter's intended audience. It's not for those who appreciate balance, subtlety, and complexity. Furthermore, for peat enthusiasts, superior and more engaging choices are readily available.
anCnoc Cutter
Whiskey Scotch Highlands No age statement 46% ABV
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About this bottle
anCnoc, a Highlands distillery pronounced ah-nock, has primarily been recognized for its unpeated Scotch in recent decades. However, they have produced a limited quantity of whisky from peated barley, recalling the late 19th century when the distillery exclusively made peated whiskies. Cutter is named for the tool used to remove peat from bogs. This whisky has a phenol content of 20.5 ppm.
How it tastes
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Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 21 parsed reviews.
I truly appreciate the creations from Knockando. The aroma and taste are sweet and smoky. There's limited complexity in how the peat and sweetness interact. It seems the peat was just added without much integration for this dram. Perhaps my palate is too accustomed to Islay and the Isles. It presents as salty, spicy, fruity, and mossy, with a lively finish. I might have purchased this bottle tonight, but the price was significantly marked up ($80 compared to around $50 elsewhere). From a tasting event on 12/17/16.
Another excellent peated scotch. It falls just short of the major Islay whiskies in my opinion. Nevertheless, it still offers delightful smoke and malt, with hints of bread dough and oak. The finish is where it falls short. It doesn't linger like most smoky whiskies and is a bit too dry. I'm still a fan, especially at the closeout price of $36.
Significant smoke on the nose, along with brine and some light fruit. The palate has light fruit, smoke, peat, leather, a touch of mild honey, and brine. The finish is too brief, with brine and warmth.
Enjoyed at the Bow Bar. This is a fine, peaty, but not excessively peaty malt. Currently savoring it by the fireplace.
Smoother than I anticipated. Not overly complex, but it would be a good introduction to peat for someone. I shared this with a friend.
15 more reviews were collected for this bottle. The longest ones are shown first.
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