Cù Bòcan explores ice wine cask maturation
Experimental single malt brand Cù Bòcan has broken new ground in the industry by creating the first known peated Scotch to be matured in ice wine casks.
Crafted annually at Tomatin Distillery in the Scottish Highlands during the cold winter months, Cù Bòcan’s limited edition Creations series is a celebration of exclusively peated whiskies with unique cask combinations.
Known for its experimental and innovative approach to maturation, Cù Bòcan’s latest expression, Creation #8, explores a never-before-seen dual cask maturation: a combination of rare Canadian ice wine casks and Spanish Verdejo casks.
Ice wine is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes that are left to freeze on the vine before harvesting. The grapes are pressed at around -7°C, when the water inside has crystallised, leaving a small amount of highly concentrated sugary juice.
For this expression, Cù Bòcan used ice wine casks from a family-owned Canadian winery, Pillitteri, where cold winters produce rich, sweet and tropical-flavoured ice wines.
Meanwhile, Verdejo is a white wine from Spain’s Rueda region, known for its fresh, zesty, and herbal character.
The Verdejo casks used to mature Cù Bòcan Creation #8 were sourced from the renowned French-owned winery Belondrade.
Reflecting Cù Bòcan’s experimental nature, the Creation #8 spirit was filled into the casks just weeks after they were emptied.
The 18-year-old spirit from the ice wine casks brings notes of apricot jam, candied peach and pineapple syrup, alongside its unmistakable light, oak spice, while the Verdejo casks have allowed the bold citrus, herbal and grassy characteristics of the wine to be expressed in the 16-year-old spirit derived from these casks.
The resulting single malt is said to offer a unique flavour profile of fruit salad sweets, lime zest, earthy smoke and soft oak spice.
Jamie Muir, distillery manager at Tomatin, said: “Our Cù Bòcan Creations series is all about going beyond convention, creating genuinely distinctive whiskies that excite and intrigue.
“Marking the oldest release in the series to date, Cù Bòcan Creation #8 is a pioneering single malt, marrying our gently peated spirit with the bold sweetness of Canadian ice wine casks, something we believe has never been done before with a peated Scotch.
“Equally, the Verdejo casks and the experimental decision to fill them shortly after emptying have also introduced a vibrant citrus and herbal dimension; the blend of these two cask types makes Creation #8 a truly surprising dram.”
Cù Bòcan’s Creation #8 packaging debuts a new colour-way of electric purple and neon green.
Bottled at 46% ABV, Creation #8 is natural in colour and non-chill filtered. It is available to purchase from today (20 May) on Tomatin Distillery’s website and from specialist whisky retailers in the UK and worldwide, priced at £45 (US$60).
The expression is limited to 3,600 bottles.
The seventh release from Cù Bòcan’s Creations series was matured in rare Pineau des Charentes Rouge and American virgin oak casks chosen by blender and global brand ambassador Scott Adamson.
Related news
Top 50 innovative spirits launches of 2025: 10-1
