Cù Bòcan is the name of a legendary dog-like creature that has stalked residents of the remote Highland village of Tomatin for centuries. It gave its name to the recent Tomatin Cù Bòcan, a lightly peated whisky (15 ppm) matured in a combination of bourbon, sherry and virgin oak casks.
Tomatin distillery only produces peated spirit during one week of the year, good for about 60.000 litres. The peated part of the whisky is aged 8 years, but the whole composition doesn’t have an age statement).
Tomatin Cù Bòcan
(46%, OB 2013, 18.000 btl.)
Tomatin Cù BòcanNose: sweet and citrusy. Oranges, lemons, banana, both sweet juice and slightly tangy zesty notes. Some biscuity notes – that’s the younger spirit talking. Hints of ginger and grasses. Smoke in the background.
Mouth: a little more smoke now, with slightly sharpish grains and quite a big emphasis on new oak. Youngish and unbalanced. Chilli pepper, burnt leaves. Ginger, cloves and aniseed.
Finish: quite long, but a tad harsh and spicy.
I’m not sure what to make of this. It’s peaty but in a summery way that doesn’t fit the image of a haunting creature. The regular Tomatin fruits are drowned in pepper and virgin oak. A missed opportunity for Tomatin. Around € 50.
Score: 77/100