Knockdhu 11 Year (2013), Cadenhead’s
Whisky: Knockdhu 11 Year (2013), Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 53.2%
Cask: Ruby Port Hogshead Finish
Age: 11 Years (Distilled 2013, Bottled Oct. 2024)
Nose: Creamy and sweet, cake frosting, berries, caramel, lacquered wood, brown sugar.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied, fruity, dates, honey, hints of cream and nuts, subtle florals, leather shoes and match heads.
Finish: Medium-length and drying with tannic fruit skins and a kiss of leathery-sulfurous funk.
Score: 6 (76)
Mental Image: Mediterranean Cakes in a Cupboard
Narrative & Notes: Thick and rich, the aroma was immensely sweet and creamy, like cream cheese frosting with a raspberry coulis. More caramel, nougat, and cooked sugars lingered further in with peanut brittle and lacquered wood. Occasionally musty, like a forgotten kitchen cabinet, with dark brown sugar and finished wood. Medium to full-bodied, the flavor profile was fruity with a touch of funk as struck match heads and sulfur emerged at the end. Dried dates and honey cakes arrived first with hints of cream and pistachio not far behind. A kiss of rose and orange blossom appeared later on with more leather shoes, shoe polish, and struck matches. The finish was medium-length and drying with tannic fruit skins and a kiss of leathery-sulfurous funk.
I reviewed a very similar Knockdhu when I was at Springbank in late 2024 and loved it— my expectations were properly high coming into this dram. I was initially a bit shocked at how much sweeter and sulfurous this was, until I realized it had a totally different finish. The 10 Year I tried in Campbeltown spent three years in a PX Hogshead, while this ended up in a ruby port hogshead. The port finish amplified the sweeter aspects of the malt, without any contrast to it besides some of that musty sulfur, especially on the palate. The finish was not much better as it remained a touch bitter and drying.
Overall, this was an interesting whisky and not bad, but not something I would ever pour. The flavors were too sweet for my taste, and while I appreciated the funkier side, it was not very harmonious.
