Knockdhu蒸馏厂坐落在Highland中Speyside的北方靠海边处一个叫Knock的小村庄. 1894年，因为在Knock hill 发现了一些上等的泉水，于是沒多久Knockdhu就创立了,正因为通常威士忌蒸馏厂都依好水而生.
Knockdhu在1994年改名为an Cnoc 其实只是改成传统的称呼,目地是为了不与另一家蒸馏Knockando有名称上的混淆不清. an Cnoc 的意思是黑丘,因为当地的天气,土地的植被,大地的形状,让这块丘陵看起来黑乌乌的,像是笼罩在一片自然的阴影之中,故名之为黑丘.
在1894年这个蒸馏厂设立时,建造了双铜式蒸馏器作为蒸馏原酒的主要方式,在当时，就像样品一样展示于所有的蒸馏酒公司,这样100多年前的蒸馏器设计,如今成为绝大多数酒厂蒸馏器配置的原型.1984年家家酒厂闭厂,1988年Knockdhu被Inver House 买下来,这也是Inver House 所拥有的第一家蒸馏厂.
相较于其它蒸馏厂的现代化及有效率的生产威士忌, Knockdhu改变它制酒的程序或设备很少,除了蒸馏器仍是百年前经典的模样,铁制的醣化桶,木制的麦芽汁发酵桶,这些没法子有效率的增加威士忌产量的古法小量制法,也依然保留，这正是他们认为最后最有效反应出威士忌本身风味个性的过程,那些换成不锈钢槽的威士忌总是少了些许什么.
最重要的是,蒸馏冷却时所采用的worm tub并没有被现代的冷凝器所取代,在Knockdhu的铜制虫管(worm tub)有100公尺长,一圈圈绕起来泡在浸滿水的大桶子中,这个圈圈状的虫管型老式冷凝器好在那裡?好在它可以保存住蒸馏后酒內的硫化物,不会在现代的冷凝器中当作废物除掉,这听起来不雅的硫化物会在陈年时与重度烤过的木桶內部发生化学作用,这也是an Cnoc (Knockdhu)的酒体比其它酒来得厚实,有深度,以及像奶油酒般的香气的来源呀!
那一桶桶循古法做出的威士忌准备进入陈年之时, Knockdhu并不特別,特别的只用了当地厚重的花岗岩砌成陈年的仓窖,这同样也是传统方式打造出稳如泰山的熟成之地,确保那储存时有着稳定的温度…
这样的酒厂因为量少而不知名,它们的坚持却在苏格兰威士忌中有着相当程度的历史重要性。
安努克被誉为同时代最具艺术气息的单一纯麦威士忌，它也已经支持了世界各地众多的艺术类的活动和庆典。它圆滑现代的包装和平易近人的味道，使它在过去的三年中的全球销售有了非常卓越的表现。
Knockdhu distillery is situated in the Highlands of Scotland, on the very edge of the Speyside region in a small village called Knock. The distillery itself was founded in 1894 after the discovery of several springs were discovered on the nearby Knock hill.
The knock hill is known to locals as anCnoc, this comes from the Gaelic black hill. Transformed by the weather, the heathers and other vegetation appear black due to the natural shadows on the hill.
When the distillery was opened in 1894 it was seen as a showpiece with its two pot stills turning out 2,500 gallons of spirit per week. The pot stills are made to the same design today, producing the unique spirit that was produced over 100 years ago. In 1988 Knockdhu became the first distillery that Inver House Distillers purchased, thus becoming the dawn of
a new era for the company.
As with other distilleries within the Inver House Distillers group the methods of producing the whisky have changed very little since production began all those years ago.
A traditional cast iron mash tun is used in the mashing process although not as efficient as its modern counterparts it is similar to what was first used.
Wooden washbacks made from Douglas fir are preferred to modern stainless steel, again these are less efficient, but are reflected in the character of the finished Scotch Whisky product. There are six in total each fermenting batch sizes of 21500 litres.
Importantly, the worm tub has not been replaced by a modern condenser. The worm tub at Knockdhu is 100 meters of copper coil in a water filled vat. The importance of worm tubs is that they preserve the sulphur compounds. The sulphur compounds then react with the char layer on the casks and this is what gives anCnoc its depth, body and butterscotch armona.
The barrels at Knockdhu come to rest in traditional dunnage warehouses. The thick walls, made from local granite, ensure a stable temperature.
