Knockando Distillery: History, Owner, Range and Visitor Guide
Updated: 2 days ago
Knockando is a quiet Speyside distillery with a few firsts to its name, including electric lighting and its own railway link. Here is its story, ownership and place in the Diageo portfolio.
In this guide
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Knockando at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified information |
|---|---|
Location | Knockando village, Moray, Speyside |
Established | 1898, John Thompson |
Owner | Diageo |
Region | Speyside, Scotland |
Principal single malt range | Knockando 12 Year Old |
Visiting | Not normally open to the public |
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Knockando history, people and production
Where is Knockando distillery?
Knockando distillery is in the village of Knockando, in Moray, in the Strathspey whisky producing area of Scotland. The name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Cnoc Cheannachd, meaning "Hill of Commerce". The village is surrounded by woods, home to buzzards, red squirrels and roe deer.
Knockando history
1898: the distillery was built by John Tytler Thomson. It was the first distillery in Scotland to be built with electric lighting.
1904: it was bought by W and A Gilbey, a gin producer from London.
1905: it was linked directly to the Great North of Scotland Railway, which connected Grantown on Spey with the main towns of north east Scotland. Cottages for workers were built nearby, along with a house for the Customs and Excise officer.
1962: W and A Gilbey merged with United Wine Traders to form International Distillers and Vintners.
1970s: International Distillers and Vintners became part of Grand Metropolitan.
1997: Guinness plc and Grand Metropolitan merged, and Knockando became part of the new company, Diageo.
Who owns Knockando?
Knockando is owned by Diageo.
The old railway and Tamdhu station
The distillery lies near the disused Dalbeallie station, which is closer to the Tamdhu distillery. The railway has been dismantled and now forms part of the Speyside Way long distance walk. The old station has been renamed Tamdhu station, and its buildings are used by Tamdhu distillery for meetings.
The J and B Ultima casks
Knockando is home to a famous selection of casks that went into the J and B Ultima blend in 1994, made to celebrate the quincentenary of Scotch whisky. That blend contained 128 different whiskies, 116 malt and 12 grain. One of each of those casks is still maturing in the Knockando warehouse.
Knockando whisky expressions compared
These distillery expressions have been documented in producer catalogues or specialist sources. Limited editions, vintages and market strengths are not interchangeable. Whisky Clan has not independently tasted or rated every bottle in this table.
Named whisky expression | Age | Listed ABV | Maturation / release |
|---|---|---|---|
Knockando 12 Year Old | 12 years | 43% | Oak maturation, vintage label varies by release |
Knockando 15 Year Old | 15 years | Check label | Vintage-dated oak maturation; precise cask recipe varies |
Knockando 18 Year Old Slow Matured | 18 years | 43% | Matured in oak; vintage and bottling year vary |
Knockando 21 Year Old Master Reserve | 21 years | 43% | Master Reserve, vintage-dependent small bottlings |
Knockando featured whisky bottle
An example of a named distillery bottling. Label and packaging can change between releases and markets.
How does Knockando whisky taste?
The distillery's reported character is influenced by its stills, fermentation, oak and age. Exact nose, palate and finish notes depend on the named bottle, age and cask; consult the official source for the release before treating a style description as an individual tasting review.
Limited bottles, awards and collector information
Limited editions, festival bottlings and older single casks can appear under the same distillery name. The bottle table distinguishes established expressions from historic or less widely available releases. Award claims should always be tied to a named expression, competition and year; none are implied for the entire range here.
Where to buy Knockando whisky
Availability, pricing, bottle formats and distribution vary between the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Europe. The official catalogue linked below is the best starting point for identifying a whisky, but no live retailer stock is guaranteed.
Visiting Knockando Distillery
Not normally open to the public.
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Explore more distilleries in Speyside Scotland
Compare the other whisky producers in this region.
Frequently asked questions about Knockando
Who owns Knockando Distillery?
Diageo.
Where is Knockando located?
Knockando village, Moray, Speyside.
When was Knockando founded?
1898, John Thompson.
Can visitors tour Knockando?
Not normally open to the public.
What whisky expressions does Knockando produce?
Its documented bottlings and release details are listed in this guide. They may vary by market.
Sources and image credits
Featured photograph: existing Knockando distillery photograph from Whisky Clan's original site media. Please contact Whisky Clan with any additional attribution details or corrections.
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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