4.8/5 with 11,500+ reviews
The modern-day Annandale Distillery began distilling on the site of the historical distillery of the same name (operational from 1830 to 1919) in 2014. The original Annandale specialised in peated whisky, and the founders of the modern distillery initially planned to do the same before being persuaded to make both styles.
Their setup is unusual, with a single large wash still paired with two smaller spirit stills. This promotes copper-to-liquid contact, lending both their peated and unpeated spirit a rather sinuous elegance. Unusually, they specialise in single cask single malts – although they typically bottle at a younger age than this 11-year-old independent bottling from Old Malt Cask.
This is their peated spirit, normally bottled as Man O’ Sword in honour of Robert the Bruce (7th Lord of Annandale before he became King of Scots). Matured in a refill bourbon barrel, it’s one of just 159 bottles, presented at 50% abv without artificial colour or chill filtration.
Aromatic smoke, honeycomb and a punch of black pepper on the nose lead into a bright palate with fresh apple, red berries, zesty citrus, delicate vanillas and an elegant curl of woodsmoke. The finish is long, with sweet spice and lightly intensifying smoke.
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