Cù Bòcan Limited Edition Virgin Oak

Hmm, honey, vanilla, spice, apricots and almonds on the nose and palate. Also accompanied on the taste side with light ashy peat. Nice, I like the combination. I couldn't remember if I've had a virgin oak peat combination, it's been while. Glenglassaugh peated virgin which was also nice. Good match. It gets better and better over time. 4.25.

I found a little time to get into my backlog of samples tonight. Ok, I delayed cleaning up from dinner and putting away my hunting gear, but I swear I’ll do it before it’s time to brush my teeth and go to bed. Anyways, this sample came to me by way of my good friend @LeeEvolved from the great state of Virginia. We are both fans of Tomatin because of their outstanding value for money. Cù Bòcan is their limited line of lightly peated (15ppm) single malts that feature quality casks. The Virgin Oak expression uses just that, virgin oak casks. Bottled at 46% ABV, non chill filtered but does have colorant added making it a honey gold. The nose is peat smoked fruits on a fresh cut oak skewer, young and vibrant. Green pears, dried pineapple, cinnamon and very oaky. The peat is working in concert with the oak and fruits and never takes over, fairly well balanced even if it is young. More peat than smoke. Plenty of vanilla, some green grapes, coconut, apples. Malty/ yeasty biscuits, heavy breads. Water tames things a bit, more vanilla and coconut come through, less peat. Possibly some white chocolate. A spicier arrival than expected on the palate after the fruity nose. Very spirit driven, youthful and it shows. Black pepper, toasted oak, peat and slightly ashy. The fruitiness of the nose is almost lost under the sheer power of the palate. The smoky side of the peat starts to show, along with some citrus- lemon and orange. Vanilla, pears and apples. Water helps to manage the spice level, but brings even more of the strong oaky character to the foreground. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is very dry and tongue coating rather than a full mouth coat. The finish is medium long, very oaky with some peat, quite dry. While it’s obvious this is a young whisky, this may be the very profile Tomatin was going for to properly embody the specter of Scottish legend that is this whisky’s namesake. The peat is neither overdone nor underplayed, it’s just enough to add depth and character to their otherwise mild house style. At roughly $45 this seems a bit pricy for what I would wager is 6-8 year old stock, but the fact that it is a limited run of peated malt coupled with virgin oak casks may help to justify that cost (the 12 year old can be found for around $35). Personally I found this a bit too rough to really enjoy as a sipper, but it’s nice to see something on the bolder side coming out of the stills and warehouses at Tomatin. 3.5 and a thanks to Lee for the sample. Cheers

strong mature oak smell, strong taste in the beginning but smooth finish. earthy clean taste. Peaty but not crazy.

It’s Friday, and that can mean one thing: my weekly 1 ounce pour while watching Netflix. This one provided graciously by @LeeEvolved. The aroma is really nice, as if you’re at a bonfire remains a few hours after it’s out. It faint smoky and ashy, as opposed to the Peat onslaught from your typical high powered Islay. Tastes: if tasted blind, I’d have thought this was an unpeated Caol Ila. It has that lemony smoky flavor, with just a strong enough wisp of smoke without being too powerful. If you’re not in the mood for a smoke blitz, or if you’re not a fan of peaty whiskey but want to try something a bit different than the sweet sherry ones, this is right up your alley. Personally I think it fits that middle ground of “ I don’t want a sweet dessert dram, but am not in the mood to be kicked in the face with a slab of Peat”. Thanks Lee for this. A solid four stars.

I finally added a bottle of this TRE special version of the Cu Bocan to my online cart a couple of months ago. I was looking for something easier to sip on a couple weeks ago and decided this should be a winner. This Virgin Oak version of Cu Bocan was bottled at 46% and I got it from a store out of London for around $55. All of the Cu Bocan NAS releases are based on a mystical beast that roams the countryside near the Tomatin distillery. Some locals describe it as a smoke beast, so of course Tomatin had to use a little peated malt to add a different layer to their normal, sherried whisky. This one is mellow gold in color and makes some seriously fat legs in the taster. The nose is incredibly lively with fresh oak and some sawdust, but there’s some citrus notes playing along with the faint smokiness. The palate is very reminiscent of American bourbon: vanilla and oak with just a tease of pepper and wood. The smoke isn’t as apparent on the tongue as I seem to recall from the original Cu Bocan, but it’s there on the nose and finish. Speaking of finish, this is slightly harsh, which is to be expected with most NAS whisky. The youthful spirit leaves behind a slight metallic note, but it’s not off putting at all. This is another bourbon sippers scotch. I’d like to keep a bottle of this on hand for just those kinds of days where I want a bourbon, but I don’t want to drink bourbon- if that makes any sense haha. Overall, another winning and cheap dram from the fine chaps at Tomatin. If I were to make a short list of NAS favorites this one, and the regular Cu Bocan, would surely make the list. If you’re in the mood for a lightly smoked bourbon, you can’t go wrong here. 3.5-3.75 stars. Cheers, my friends.