Knockando 25 Year Old Special Releases bottled 2011

Knockando is a big seller in France and Spain but it’s not too popular in the rest of Europe. This Knockando 25 years, the oldest official release at that point, was part of Diageo’s 2011 Special releases. It was matured in first fill European oak sherry casks.

Nose: a sherry character that I usually relate to refill sherry rather than first fill. Subtle sherry, quite fragrant and very fruity. Soft butterscotch, raisins. and milk chocolate. Quite some red berries, hints of ripe bananas, plum jam. Elegant polished oak and leathery notes. There’s a very faint vegetal note in the background, as well as a hint of smoke. Extremely elegant.

Mouth: light, a tad weakish, but very fruity with an array of jams: strawberry, redcurrant, orange, plum… Gets drier, with oak, nuts, coffee, tobacco and Christmas cake flavours. Hints of rosehips. Liquorice and a hint of smoke again.

Finish: medium long, on cocoa powder and spices.

I really like this kind of sherried elegancy, half-sweet / half-dry, so although it’s slightly tame on the palate, it gets into the 90’s territory.

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