Knockando
Full Speyside food & drink guide — distilleries, restaurants, where to stay, when to go.
On Birdie BraePair Knockando with a round
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A Diageo workhorse whose spirit feeds the J&B blend. The official 12 Year Old single malt is rare in the UK but huge in southern Europe.
Knockando is the J&B whisky made visible — the distillery in the beautiful Spey valley produces the spirit that defined an era of lighter, blend-driven Scotch, and the single malt shows that lightness. It's rarely seen in the UK (sold primarily in southern Europe) but the 12 Year Old is a pleasing, subtle dram: floral, fruity, with a distinctly old-fashioned Speyside character.
Core range
12 Year Old
43% ABV · Bourbon + sherry
Heart-malt of J&B. The 12 is the standard official bottling — light, gentle, undemanding Speyside in the J&B house style.
Food pairings
| Whisky | Food | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Apple and almond tart |
Getting there
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Where to eat nearby
- The Mash Tun, AberlourHotel/Bar
Where to stay near Knockando
Knockando is a scattered parish on the south side of the Spey, with no town centre nearby. Aberlour (8 miles) and Rothes (8 miles) are the nearest bases. The B9102 ridge road connects several distilleries (Cardhu, Tamdhu, Knockando) within a few miles of each other — plan a single-day ridge route with a designated driver.
Where to stay near Knockando
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Knockando.
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Location
Knockando, Moray, AB38 7RT
View on map →Frequently asked questions
+Why is Knockando hard to find in the UK?
Most production goes to J&B blends and the single malt is primarily sold in France and Spain.
+Is Knockando open to visitors?
No — Knockando is a production facility and not open to general visitors. The nearest full visitor experience is Aberlour (10 min) or Glenfiddich in Dufftown.
+Where is Knockando distillery?
Knockando is in Speyside. Postcode AB38.
+When was Knockando distillery founded?
Knockando was founded in 1898, making it roughly 128 years old.
Compare with similar distilleries
Most similar to old-style light Speyside (Tamnavulin, Speyburn). Historic connection to J&B blend.
Tamnavulin
Built in the 1960s during a wave of Speyside expansion, Tamnavulin is best known today for its budget-friendly Double Cask bottling, regularly seen below £22 in supermarkets.
Speyburn
A pretty Victorian distillery in Rothes producing fresh, easy-drinking Speyside spirit. Best known for being a regular fixture on supermarket value shelves.
Other distilleries owned by Diageo
Distilleries that share Knockando's corporate parent — useful context if you're comparing house styles within an owner's stable.
Lagavulin
Iconic Islay distillery on the southern shore, Lagavulin produces some of the most intensely peated, deeply maritime whisky in Scotland. The 16 Year Old is a benchmark Islay dram.
Oban
A tiny two-still distillery sitting right in the middle of the town it’s named after. Oban bridges Highland and West Coast island character — gently smoky, salty, fruity.
Cardhu
Founded by Helen Cumming and the spiritual home of Johnnie Walker, Cardhu is a smooth, easy, fruit-forward Speyside that punches well above its weight as a beginner single malt.
Cragganmore
One of Diageo’s six ‘Classic Malts’. Cragganmore is unusually complex for an entry-age Speyside thanks to its short, flat-topped stills and unique condensing setup.
Linkwood
A workhorse Diageo distillery whose spirit features in many blends but is rarely seen as an official single malt. A favourite of independent bottlers for its perfumed, floral character.
Mortlach
Known as ‘the Beast of Dufftown’ for its uniquely complex 2.81-times distillation regime. Big, meaty, sulphury, sherry-influenced — the polar opposite of typical ‘light Speyside’.
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