Tomatin currently offers a portfolio largely comprised of age statement whiskies, some of them cask finishes. Cù Bòcan is the name of a legendary hellhound said to roam the area around the village of Tomatin and is also the distillery’s equivalent of their Skunk Works (or, closer to whisky than aircraft, Midleton’s Method and Madness micro distillery). It’s a place where Tomatin can experiment and try things outside their normal wheelhouse. The brand’s tagline is “Unlock the Unusual” and seeks to explore the smokier side of the Highland profile. The distillery distills lightly peated barley in small batches every winter, then matures them in a variety of wine casks before the blending process. The Cù Bòcan represents a long return of sorts for the distillery, as they were one of the first distilleries to move away from using peat to smoke their barley after WWII.
Distillery: Tomatin
Region: Highland
Age: NAS
Strength: 46%
Price: $47.99
Maturation: ex-bourbon, ex-Oloroso sherry, and ex-virgin oak barrels
Location: Tomatin
Nose: Smoke, lemon, vanilla, apricot, toffee
Palate: Smoke, lemon, brine
Finish: Smoke, green peppercorn
Comments: Apparently special enough to Tomatin for the whisky to get its own website. While the Cù Bòcan brand has a few different offerings now, the bottle in this review was the only one available in US markets. On the website, it has been rebranded the Cù Bòcan Signature.
Adam – The Cù Bòcan reminds me right away of a bright day at the beach. It’s not a summer day, to be sure, but any chill is tempered by a fun lunch with friends around a campfire. The smoke and citrus notes complement each other very well. None of them is overstated and this works in the whisky’s favor. As a fan of the base Tomatin profile, I appreciate how they’ve allowed the smoke to weave in among the citrus with a clean smoke that does not dim any of the fruit brightness. A dash of brine on the palate and pepper on the finish to make the smoke sparkle mean this is a scotch ready for a variety of drinkers and occasions. Three cheers for a scotch that punches far above its approachable price point too.
Kate – It’s such a clean smoke. It’s very evocative. It’s very approachable to drinks like us.
Bill – The Cù Bòcan is not a beginner whisky. You’ve experienced a thing or two and now you’re able to appreciate this.
It almost smells like a Speyside with all the citrus and oils.
Henry – It is the way I like my islands. It doesn’t give away its smokiness. It almost smells like a Speyside with all the citrus and oils. Then you only get the smoke on the palate. It’s just beautiful. And light, but not ephemeral. It has clarity at all levels. Then it finishes clean with a puff of smoke. This is a comfort scotch. For an Islay fan, this is not a scotch of celebration or exultation. It’s a scotch of “tuck you in by the fire and pour you a glass of love.”
Ben – It’s drinkable. The smoke is there but not bossy. Nothing’s bossy about the Cù Bòcan, which is why I think it’s so approachable. The elements are there and worthy of discussion.
