The Knockando Distillery, located in Knockando, Moray, Scotland, was founded in 1898 by John Thompson. The distillery is situated in the Speyside region and is known for producing light, nutty, and malty single malt Scotch whisky. The name "Knockando" is derived from the Scottish Gaelic term "Cnoc-an-dhu," which means "little black hill," referring to the surrounding hills.
Knockando began production in 1899 but was temporarily closed just ten months later due to economic difficulties. In 1904, the distillery was acquired by W & A Gilbey, a London gin distiller expanding into whisky. Since 1997, Knockando has been owned by Diageo, one of the largest spirits producers in the world.
Production at Knockando is characterized by the use of lightly peated malts, specifically made at Diageo's central maltings. The distillery operates four pot stills: two wash stills with a capacity of 10,800 liters each and two spirit stills with a capacity of 7,000 liters each. The pot stills are designed to promote high reflux, making the whisky particularly light and delicate.
A distinctive feature of Knockando is that its whiskies are bottled without the addition of coloring agents. The distillery uses a combination of sherry and oak casks for maturation, with carefully selected casks to ensure a balanced flavor profile. The annual production is about 1.3 million liters, with the majority used in blended whiskies such as J&B and Spey Royal.
Knockando single malts are often labeled with the year and age, distinguishing them from many other bottlings. Well-known releases include 12-, 15-, 18-, 21-, and 25-year-old whiskies, which are particularly popular in France and Spain. In the UK and the USA, Knockando single malts are less known but play an important role in Diageo's portfolio.
