Cù Bòcan has introduced Creation #8, a limited-edition Highland single malt that explores a pioneering maturation using Canadian ice wine and Spanish Verdejo casks.
Produced at Tomatin Distillery, Cù Bòcan is the experimental single malt brand created around the distillery’s lightly peated spirit.
The name means ‘ghost dog’ in Gaelic, referencing a spirit said to have haunted the village of Tomatin. The whisky draws inspiration from the lightly peated whisky historically produced at the distillery more than a century ago.
Cù Bòcan returned to peated whisky production in 2005, when Tomatin produced a batch of spirit using barley peated to 15ppm. That whisky later became the foundation of the brand, which launched in 2013 with a combination of bourbon, sherry and virgin oak maturation. Since then, Cù Bòcan has developed a reputation for exploring unusual cask combinations through its limited-edition Creations series.
Creation #8 represents the latest step in that experimental approach, introducing what the brand describes as the first known peated Scotch whisky to be matured in ice wine casks. The expression combines two distinct wine cask influences: rare Canadian ice wine casks and Spanish Verdejo casks.
The ice wine casks were sourced from Pillitteri Estates Winery, a family-owned winery where grapes are harvested after freezing naturally on the vine…
Cù Bòcan Creation #8 tasting notes
The ice wine casks for Creation #8 were sourced from Pillitteri Estates Winery, a family-owned winery where grapes are harvested after freezing naturally on the vine. This process concentrates the sugars and flavours within the fruit, producing a richly sweet dessert wine. For Creation #8, 18-year-old Cù Bòcan spirit matured in these casks contributes flavours of apricot jam, candied peach and pineapple, alongside the whisky’s characteristic light oak spice.
The second part of the maturation came from Verdejo casks sourced from Belondrade. Known for its fresh citrus, herbal and grassy character, the white wine casks were filled with Cù Bòcan spirit just weeks after being emptied, allowing the influence of the wine to remain pronounced. The resulting 16-year-old spirit adds layers of citrus, herbal freshness and green fruit character to the final whisky.
Bottled at 46% ABV, Cù Bòcan Creation #8 is natural in colour and non-chill filtered. The whisky is presented in a new electric purple and neon green design, with the brand’s distinctive twisted bottle featuring engraved contours inspired by both rising smoke and whisky cask staves.
Tasting notes describe a nose of sweet fruit with gentle smoke woven through, featuring baked apples, poached pears, apricot jam, golden raisins, candied peach, orange blossom, honey syrup, citrus zest, fennel, herbs, heather smoke, flamed lemon peel, almond pastry and light spice.
On the palate, the whisky is silky and sweet before developing fresher and slightly smoky flavours of honeycomb, peach, apricot, candied citrus peel, pineapple syrup, marmalade, lime zest, green grape, grassy notes and a whisper of earthy smoke.
The finish brings together sweet wine and fruit flavours with smoky honey, citrus peel and soft oak spice.
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Cù Bòcan has introduced Creation #8, a limited-edition Highland single malt that explores a pioneering maturation using Canadian ice wine and Spanish Verdejo casks.
Produced at Tomatin Distillery, Cù Bòcan is the experimental single malt brand created around the distillery’s lightly peated spirit.
The name means ‘ghost dog’ in Gaelic, referencing a spirit said to have haunted the village of Tomatin. The whisky draws inspiration from the lightly peated whisky historically produced at the distillery more than a century ago.
Cù Bòcan returned to peated whisky production in 2005, when Tomatin produced a batch of spirit using barley peated to 15ppm. That whisky later became the foundation of the brand, which launched in 2013 with a combination of bourbon, sherry and virgin oak maturation. Since then, Cù Bòcan has developed a reputation for exploring unusual cask combinations through its limited-edition Creations series.
Creation #8 represents the latest step in that experimental approach, introducing what the brand describes as the first known peated Scotch whisky to be matured in ice wine casks. The expression combines two distinct wine cask influences: rare Canadian ice wine casks and Spanish Verdejo casks.
Cù Bòcan Creation #8 tasting notes
The ice wine casks for Creation #8 were sourced from Pillitteri Estates Winery, a family-owned winery where grapes are harvested after freezing naturally on the vine. This process concentrates the sugars and flavours within the fruit, producing a richly sweet dessert wine. For Creation #8, 18-year-old Cù Bòcan spirit matured in these casks contributes flavours of apricot jam, candied peach and pineapple, alongside the whisky’s characteristic light oak spice.
The second part of the maturation came from Verdejo casks sourced from Belondrade. Known for its fresh citrus, herbal and grassy character, the white wine casks were filled with Cù Bòcan spirit just weeks after being emptied, allowing the influence of the wine to remain pronounced. The resulting 16-year-old spirit adds layers of citrus, herbal freshness and green fruit character to the final whisky.
Bottled at 46% ABV, Cù Bòcan Creation #8 is natural in colour and non-chill filtered. The whisky is presented in a new electric purple and neon green design, with the brand’s distinctive twisted bottle featuring engraved contours inspired by both rising smoke and whisky cask staves.
Tasting notes describe a nose of sweet fruit with gentle smoke woven through, featuring baked apples, poached pears, apricot jam, golden raisins, candied peach, orange blossom, honey syrup, citrus zest, fennel, herbs, heather smoke, flamed lemon peel, almond pastry and light spice.
On the palate, the whisky is silky and sweet before developing fresher and slightly smoky flavours of honeycomb, peach, apricot, candied citrus peel, pineapple syrup, marmalade, lime zest, green grape, grassy notes and a whisper of earthy smoke.
The finish brings together sweet wine and fruit flavours with smoky honey, citrus peel and soft oak spice.
Limited to 3,600 bottles, Cù Bòcan Creation #8 is available from The Whisky Exchange, priced £42.50.
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