About anCnoc
(a-NOCK) Built in 1893, anCnoc is situated on the eastern flank of Speyside, near to Keith. The distillery ran until 1983; like many other distilleries at the time, it was closed as a result of the "Whisky Loch". Inver House bought and reopened the distillery in 1988.
Historically, this distillery's products went by the name "Knockdhu" however they were renamed to anCnoc to avoid confusion with the similarly named distillery Knockando.
The story of the Knockdhu distillery, and the outstanding whisky it produces, were brought to life by a man of vision. The discovery of pure water springs on nearby Knock Hill, coupled with a landscape rich in peat and barley and the nearby Great North of Scotland railway line, presented a golden opportunity to John Morrison, who purchased the Knock estate in 1892.
The Knockdhu distillery’s enduring charisma echoes the timeless allure of the nearby Black Hill, known as Knockdhu in Gaelic. It provides them with not only their name, but the source of the many springs of pure, clear water required to make their whisky. However, the brand name anCnoc (Gaelic for ‘the hill’ and pronounced ‘a-nock’) lends it the unusual distinction of not being named after the distillery which produces it.
The traditional methods behind anCnoc have stood the test of time, but the distillery continues to embrace innovation, keeping pace with its contemporary character. Sustainability is central to the production process, with waste recycled and repurposed to benefit the local environment—uniting time-honoured craftsmanship with an eco-conscious approach.
