Cù Bòcan 2005 Vintage

The story behind Cù Bòcan is beautiful, it is about a HELLHOUND that lurks tomatin village, and if it appears, if you try to touch it, it will become a ghostly smoke. That is why tomatin calls cù bòcan to its peaty dram. Aged for 11 years, bottled at 50%abv, amber color. On the nose is very heavy: Peppery-islay type of aroma at first. Very strong. There is some sweetness behind the first powerful layer. English sauce (typical from peaty whiskies). Is more earthy than smoky. Prunes. Dim blackberry aroma. Quite complex, but that is to be expected from a 50%abv dram, lots of flavors and aromas. After i let it sit for 5 minutes, that peppery/earthy peatyness stands but those sweet dried fruit aromas increase in a very pleasant way. It is still too strong to actually dip your nose into the glencairn. Due to its strenght and difficult to enjoy the sweet aromas, i cant score it really big on the nose even if it is complex. On the palate sweet vanilla oakyness, then a spicy/peppery feeling, not harsh for 50%abv, actually very pleasant. Smoky on the palate, delicious, sweet, spicy, smoky perfectly balanced. A little Toffee can be found too. Aftertaste is also peppery and long; fresh. Pleasant. Really a nice dram. Overall i can score this dram with a 92 over a 100 and i feel i am dishonest with it, it feels like more.