A nip of Grant's Sherry Cask Reserve
While I was visiting a scotch whisky store in Edinburgh last November, a lady was offering samples of different whiskies her company offered. Of course, I took advantage of the opportunity. My first sample was of Pulteney 21 Year, a heavy and meaty malt. I took this sample mostly because I knew it was an expensive drink, and I probably wouldn't get another opportunity to taste it for free. The other whisky was anCnoc 12 Year.
The name is bizarre, especially the capital 'c' in the middle of the word. Properly pronounced "a-nock," the word is the Gaelic word for a hill next to the distillery in Aberdeenshire. From the name to the shape of the bottle, the company has branded itself as a modern whisky that is distinctly different from other whiskies around Scotland. I bought a bottle of this scotch for multiple reasons. First, it was cheaper than some of the older, richer whiskies I tasted in the store. Second, I wanted to find a scotch to contrast with the smokier scotches so that I could show friends the huge differences between different types of scotch. Third, it is a bizarre and rare scotch that I didn't expect to find back home.
The 12 Year version is very light and smooth but still complex. The nose is soft with hints of honey and lemon in the foreground. The taste starts sweet with lots of fruitiness and smooth finish. If tasted along with a medium or richer scotch, the flavor will be even more obvious. I would think that people who normally didn't like whisky might like this one because it is so light and fruity. Hence, I consider it a 'beginner' scotch. However, I know some who like the smokier and richer scotch flavors even though they detest whisky in general.
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