Info: anCnoc Blas is the newest special edition to be released from anCnoc and was created in collaboration with fashion designer Patrick Grant, judge on The Great British Sewing Bee. It’s a NAS whisky at the high strength of 54% abv, from a combination of bourbon and sherry casks.
Colour: Bright and shiney golden, nice and natural looking.
Nose: A nose packed with barley and nuts, it’s got a good strong and heady smell to it which really draws you in.
Palate: The palate is smooth and oily at first, soon building to a hotter and more spicy affair, much related to the high ABV. It’s gently sweet, well balanced with good zingy citrus bursts and plenty of barley and barley sugars. A touch of wax.
Finish: The finish is warming and gently spreads, it’s sweet enough with just a hint of tannins backing it up.
Water: A wee drop of water helps take the heat and spices down a notch, really bringing out a toffee sweetness in both taste and feel; it seems to become more oily, and there’s a gentle fizz on your tongue. Water certainly helps to make it even more vibrant.
Thoughts: It’s a well crafted, tasty whisky which seems to be honest and well priced. It starts smoothly and soon becomes a great belter of a dram.
Available: Master of Malt – £48.76

Thanks to anCnoc for the sample of Blas!