- Last post on 2022
- Royal Brackla
- Royal Brackla 18 tasting
- Knockando
- Knockando 18 tasting
- Royal Brackla vs. Knockando
Last post on 2022
The blog post for the 2022 final whiskey tasting has been prepared, and I want to bring something unique to the table that will include both competition and excitement in it. To go out with a bang this year, I knew I had to try a couple of rare whiskies that weren’t necessarily mainstream but had received excellent reviews from enthusiasts. Adding these two extremely competitive whiskies to the mix will make judging for the Diamond Whiskey Blog’s best whiskey award even more difficult and thrilling. Both rivals are eager to meet their match, so let’s not waste any more time with this introduction. Okay, so let’s get started.
Royal Brackla
The first rival is fearsome since it is the first royal scotch whisky and the distillery’s style is luxurious and fruity with rich sherried overtones. Sherry barrels of the highest quality, imported directly from Spain, are used for the last stage of production, guaranteeing an exquisite result for the most premium liquor. Located upon fertile farmland on the Cawdor Estate in the Scottish Highlands stands Royal Brackla Distillery, founded by Captain William Fraser in 1812. In 1833, King William IV of Great Britain awarded Royal Brackla Scotch whisky the first ever Royal Warrant.
I am holding a bottle of Royal Brackla 18-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky from their royal collection that was aged and finished in a Palo Cortado Sherry Cask. On the whisky base website, it has acquired a rating of 85.24 and this makes me even more eager to taste the first whiskey that is manufactured for royalties. The only thing I want to know is whether or not drinking “The King’s Own Whisky” actually makes me feel like a member of the royal family. It’s tempting to imagine that a bottle of this whisky, and the experience of drinking it, would elevate its owner to the status of a king or queen.
They’re some pretty big, bold shoes to fill, but if you can do it, you’ll be well rewarded.
The colour is a peaceful and lovely green tea which I wasn’t expecting because Palo Cortado Cask normally offers deeper tones to the spirit but let’s not judge the book by its covers.
Royal Brackla 18 tasting
The fresh and sweet pear was the first scent I picked up, followed by soft, creamy citrus undertones. The final note brought to mind a smooth cheesecake flavoured with lemon, and it was creamy. It was a wonderfully rich trip of fragrances, which I appreciated, and now we are moving on to the tasting half of the experience.
The first thing I have to point out is that this smoothness is of an exceptional degree of quality due to the graceful sensation that the whisky produces on the tongue. In addition to the peppery finish, you can taste the vanilla, pear, and rich fruit flavours.
The aftertaste began with the wonderful aromas of oak, and it continued with a lingering citrus freshness. Grape juiciness persisted for a very lengthy finish.
Knockando
This post’s first whisky is finished; let’s move on to the other side and see what it has to offer. The Knockando distillery was established in 1898 by John Thompson, and as part of their long-standing habit, they offer new vintages on an annual basis. The following scotch comes from a distillery named Cnoc-an-dhu, which translates to “small black hill” in Gaelic.
This name likely pays homage to the surrounding hills. In addition, the distillery weighs, measures, and adjusts the amount of Sherry and oak casks used in the production of the spirit extremely precisely so that neither flavour can overpower the other. They employ only the finest natural ingredients, and the whisky is aged slowly to give depth and richness. The 18-year-old Knockando single malt scotch whiskey in my possession has a nice honey tone and is, overall, my preference between the two bottles currently sharing the same ring.
Knockando 18 tasting
This scotch has a liquorice fragrance at first, proceeded by a salted caramel aftertaste. Some wonderful citrus scents, similar to lime and peppermint, greeted me after that. Lastly, I picked up some fantastic woody notes that transported me to a pine forest. This whisky’s scents were pretty powerful and full of depth; a good start for the Knockando team.
The second part of the tasting was fascinating, and before I go any further, let me say that my experience is still only mediocre; however, I do believe that the 18-year-old Knockando scotch is among the smoothest scotches in the world, and I’m surprised that this hasn’t been discussed more. I had a “wow” moment, and that was just the beginning; the flavours I tasted reminded me of apple pie with a dash of cinnamon. This whisky has wonderful flavours that were deep and complex.
The aftertaste wasn’t as impressive as the flavour itself, but there were still some excellent notes hidden in there. The first thing that came to mind was a batch of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, followed by a batch of fried oranges on the grill. Aromas of cinnamon and oak smoke lingered after each sip.
Royal Brackla vs. Knockando
Now that we’ve made it this far, let’s take a moment to reflect on everything we’ve experienced. There was smoothness, flair, exciting flavours and surprises. I think the contestants were really strong overall, and I appreciate that they were able to test themselves against one another. There was a fine line between the two whiskeys, but I think I’ve finally settled the score. But the winner of the competition is Knockando 18, and the reason for this is because the palate was just too fantastic to be true. If there was one thing about the Royal Brackla 18 that I could modify, it would be the finish because it wasn’t as powerful and strong as I would have liked it to be.
Here you are, we wrapped up 2022 with an exciting competition, and the only thing that’s left to do now is select the winner of the Diamond Whiskey Blog’s Best Whiskey Award 2022. If you want to know more about that, follow me on social media and I’ll keep you posted. Good luck and cheers, bye!
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