anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is announcing a new chapter in the collaboration between the whisky brand and a renowned Scottish illustrator based in New York – Peter Arkle.

The partnership was launched in April 2012 and involves a series of limited anCnoc expressions presented in packaging designed by the artist. So far the range included two global releases – anCnoc Peter Arkle No.1 'Ingredients' and anCnoc Peter Arkle No.2 'Casks'. Today the brand unveiled anCnoc Peter Arkle No.3 'Bricks' and revealed details of a global competition launched to celebrate the partnership and give anCnoc fans around the world an opportunity to participate in this remarkable project.

The Whisky

anCnoc Peter Arkle No.3 'Bricks' was matured in Spanish ex-sherry butts as well as American exbourbon barrels. The resulting whisky is full-bodied and sweet and displays a classic anCnoc flavour profile with notes of perfume, citrus, honey and spice defining its style. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, non chill-filtered and presented at its natural colour.

The packaging shows a thick dunnage warehouse wall, as drawn by Peter Arkle during his visit to Knockdhu Distillery in 2011. The artist comments on the project and the design:

“I have loved working with anCnoc and am very proud of our latest limited edition. The distillery at Knock is such a great place and I had a fantastic time visiting there. This particular illustration for me really shows a complex thought in a very simple way. On one hand it's just a drawing of the bricks that make up the walls of the distillery and the warehouses with a yellow sign stuck on. But, on the other hand, those bricks are so old and so soaked with the essences of anCnoc – absorbed over the years – that they are not just any old bricks. They are bricks with real character and history. And the sign is there to remind people that anCnoc is not something you can take for granted. One must handle something remarkable with care."

Only 1000 cases of anCnoc Peter Arkle Limited Edition No.3 'Bricks' will be available online and from specialist retailers in the UK, USA, Germany, Russia, Japan, Taiwan and Canada. The recommended retail price in the UK is £49.99.

#youranCnoc

To mark this great collaboration ten whisky fans from around the world will see their personal anCnoc experience turned into unique bottle designs drawn by Peter Arkle himself. The competition, called #youranCnoc, will take place on the 17th June and all who wish to participate will be asked to tweet a photo of their perfect anCnoc moment that day. Ten entries selected by Peter will then be hand-drawn, transferred onto individual bottles of anCnoc and sent to the winners. Additionally, one lucky winner will be taken to New York to meet the artist and experience the process of creating his remarkable illustrations first-hand.



Peter further commented:
“I have been so inspired designing for anCnoc and I’m really excited for people to get the chance to be inspired themselves and have their own personal anCnoc moment immortalised onto their very own bottle. It’s such a fun opportunity.”

Gillian Gibson, the anCnoc Brand Manager added:
“anCnoc has long had a close relationship with visual art and we are delighted to not only be continuing with this fantastic series with Peter which we are sure will become instant collectors’ items like its predecessors, but that we can also offer truly personalised art with a mighty fine dram with our #youranCnoc campaign.”

Full details of the competition can be found at www.anCnoc.com
anCnoc can be found on Twitter at @anCnoc_whisky whisky

Official Tasting notes (I will be reviewing this over the weekend 25th/26th May)

Colour: Bright amber
Aroma: Fresh, fragrant and complex. The signature rich honey and lemon notes are accompanied by freshly cut flowers, juicy green apples and sweet vanilla. A hint of heavy leather adds to the depth while just a touch of ripe orange zest wraps it up in a beautifully balanced composition.
Taste: A full-bodied dram with great texture. The flavour is spicy at first with notes of vibrant citrus, sherry and dark chocolate developing and revealing a mouth-watering burst of hot toffee and honey sweetness.
Finish: The finish is long and smooth with notes of oranges and sherry enveloped in moreish spiciness.