Mannochmore (pronounced: MAN-ock-mor) is one of the handful of large distilleries constructed in the early seventies. A period of rapid expansion for the industry based on wildly inaccurate market calculations for the ensuing decade, a process that cost us many smaller, much more charismatic distilleries in the process. Having said all that it is probably unfair to demonise Mannochmore and the other youthful blending fortresses like it. The distillate it produces is actually quite a reserved and intriguing one. Always produced in a modern style the character has, nevertheless, leaned more towards a controlled, grassy and somewhat austere profile.

Founded: 1971
Stills: 3 Wash 3 Spirit
Water Source: The Bardon Burn
Capacity: 3.2 Million Litres
Owners: Diageo

Mannochmore is a fairly obtainable spirit, with independent bottlings popping up from time to time at a variety of ages. Although the most interesting and extreme examples of the make are to be found in Diageo's own bottlings under the Manager's Dram, Special Releases and Rare Malts series. In fact, a super-strong version bottled for the Manager's Dram series was a fascinatingly extreme, difficult and borderline obnoxious whisky.

It has long been popular with the blenders as its taught profile provides great structure and backbone to many blends. However, if you get a chance to try it as a single malt it is well worth it as it can occasionally offer a more unusual profile. Full-bodied, grassy and occasionally slightly phenolic it is not the easiest of whiskies but it can be quite rewarding if you find a good one.

Perhaps the most legendary or 'infamous' bottling of Mannochmore was in the mid-nineties when Diageo released Loch Dhu aka The Black Whisky. This was a 10yo Mannochmore that had been dosed up to the eyeballs with spirit caramel. Now something of a collector's item due to its extreme novelty and lunacy, it has become a notorious example of bad whisky. However, if you are ever unfortunate enough to taste Loch Dhu, don't let it put you off Mannochmore, it is actually quite good when bottled neat without caramel.