Cù Bòcan Creation #4 - 46%
From the Cù Bòcan website
A celebration of the subtleties of smoke and perfectly balanced sweetness, Cù Bòcan is an experimental Highland Single Malt that explores innovative finishes to create whiskies full of intrigue and surprise.
Made with lightly peated Scottish barley, distilled every winter in limited batches. Matured in a variety of casks to unlock unusual flavours, creating a subtly smoky and surprisingly sweet spirit.
Tawny Port + Cognac Casks. Our fourth Creation is a nod to The Antrim Cocktail, marrying two of Europe’s most revered drinks, Port and Cognac. The end result is a medley of plum jam, grilled peach, stewed forest fruit, cinnamon and sweet campfire smoke.
Cù Bòcan takes it’s name from the legend of a mysterious hellhound said to stalk the residents of the remote Highland village of Tomatin for centuries. One of the most well known stories of this beast involves a distillery worker who was out walking late at night. All at once, he caught sight of a large black beast with bared teeth and steam spiralling from flared nostrils. Abandoning all reason, he felt the urge to reach out and touch the creature’s dense fur, and as he reached out a trembling hand, he watched in disbelief as the beast dissolved into a cloud of smoke in front of him, leaving nothing but deathly silence.
It’s little wonder then, that when the Tomatin distillery decided to launch a range of lightly peated whiskies, evoking the name of the spectral beast who roams their peat moorlands was an obvious choice.
Appearance: Burnished gold, forms a thick line which breaks as slow, thin legs.
Nose: Poached plums in red wine, milk chocolate Toblerone, cinnamon and a subtle helping of sweet smoke
Palate: Poached pears, fruits of the forest jam, vanilla, milk chocolate, together with sweet smoke, cinnamon and peppery spice. Addition of water adds creaminess at the expense of some of the dark fruit notes.
Finish: Long, vanilla custard, ginger and cinnamon combine with the subtle smokiness.
Summary: Another Cù Bòcan whisky with many facets, the unusual combination of tawny port and cognac provides the palate with a major workout. It’s rich, complex, fruity with a generous helping of spice and a subtle hint of smoke. A whisky which demands your full attention rather than just an everyday sipper, and at a current price just a whisker under £60 is one of those you pull out of the cabinet when you’re in the mood for serious contemplation.
If you would like more information on the range of Cù Bòcan whiskies, please visit the company website.
This sample was part of a 4 dram selection for a TweetTasting session organised by @TheWhiskyWire and the Tomatin Distillery. All opinions are my own.
