Knockdhu is one of those distilleries that quietly gets on with producing excellent spirit while the marketing budgets flow elsewhere. Their house style — fruity, honeyed, approachable — has made them a favourite among independent bottlers for years, and Single Cask Nation have done well to get their hands on this particular cask. A 2014 vintage, matured for ten years and finished in a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask, bottled at a full 58% ABV from cask number 170318. On paper, this has all the ingredients of something rather special.
For those unfamiliar, Knockdhu sits in the eastern Highlands near Knock Hill, though the whisky is marketed under the anCnoc name by its owners to avoid confusion with Knockando. The distillery has been producing since 1894, and while it operates with a relatively modest output, the quality of the new make spirit has always punched above its weight. Independent bottlings like this one from Single Cask Nation give us a chance to see what that spirit can become under different cask influences, stripped of the house style packaging and left to speak for itself.
What to Expect
The PX finish is the defining feature here, and at ten years old with cask strength bottling, I would expect this to sit firmly in the rich, sherried camp without losing the distillery's characteristic brightness. Pedro Ximénez casks tend to bring concentrated sweetness — dried fruits, dark chocolate, sticky toffee — and at 58% ABV, those flavours will arrive with real intensity. This is not a whisky that will be shy about announcing itself.
The cask strength bottling is a welcome decision. Too many independent releases are reduced to 46% and lose something in the process. Here, you have the full force of what that single cask produced, and the option to add water at your own pace. I always appreciate that level of trust in the drinker.
The Verdict
At £73.95 for a cask strength, single cask, ten-year-old Speyside malt with a PX finish, this represents genuinely good value. The independent bottling market has seen prices creep steadily upward, and finding something at this price point with this specification is becoming increasingly rare. Single Cask Nation have built a solid reputation for selecting interesting casks, and this Knockdhu fits comfortably within that track record.
I am giving this a 7.9 out of 10. The combination of a reliable distillery character, an active sherry finish, and honest cask strength presentation makes this a bottle I would happily recommend. It loses a fraction simply because, without confirmed distillery provenance on the label itself, newer drinkers may not immediately appreciate what they are holding. But for anyone who knows what Knockdhu can do — and what a well-chosen PX cask brings to Speyside malt — this is well worth your attention and your money.
Best Served
Start this one neat in a Glencairn to get the full measure of it at cask strength, then add water gradually — a few drops at a time. At 58% ABV, it will open up considerably with dilution, and finding your preferred point is half the pleasure. A teaspoon of water should be enough to soften the alcohol without flattening the sherry influence. This is an evening dram, not a casual pour. Give it the time it deserves.
