Cù Bòcan, the lightly peated, experimental single malt brand produced at Tomatin Distillery each winter, has announced the launch of the ninth release in its limited-edition Creation Series. Its oldest release to date, it takes inspiration from the sweet and salty taste of cinema popcorn.

Cù Bòcan Creation #9 (46% ABV) is a single malt Scotch whisky, matured in a combination of American virgin oak, refill hogsheads and Manzanilla Sherry casks.

Aged for more than 17 years, the majority of the spirit spent its entire maturation in American virgin oak casks, which are rarely used for such an extended period. The result is said to deliver layers of vanilla, honey and caramel sweetness.

The remaining spirit spent 13 years in refill hogsheads before undergoing a four-and-a-half-year finish in Manzanilla Sherry casks. Made from Palomino grapes in Sanlúcar de Barrameda on Spain’s Cádiz coast, Manzanilla is a pale, bone-dry fortified wine. Its casks impart a signature salinity, adding notes of salted caramel, toasted almond and coastal freshness to the spirit.

Together, the two cask types create the sweet-and-salty popcorn note that defines Creation #9. This playful indulgence extends to the packaging, whose popcorn-box aesthetic evokes classic cinema nostalgia and makes the whisky the perfect companion for a movie night.

Crafted annually at Tomatin Distillery in the Scottish Highlands during the cold winter months, Cù Bòcan’s limited-edition Creation Series celebrates experimental cask combinations and distinctive flavour profiles. The series draws inspiration from the lightly peated spirit historically produced at the distillery more than 100 years ago.

Commenting on the launch, Jamie Muir, Distillery Manager at Tomatin, said: “Creation #9 set out to prove that patience pays off in the most unexpected ways. The American virgin oak has given the single malt its deep, sweet backbone, but it’s the Manzanilla sherry cask that elevates the expression, bringing in the salty, savoury edge that balances all the sweetness. The result is one of the most unexpected flavours we’ve crafted. It’s exactly the kind of discovery that makes the Creation Series so exciting, and the perfect excuse for a movie night.”

Limited to 3,800 bottles, Cù Bòcan Creation #9 is available now from the distillery’s website and specialist retailers, for a RRP of £45.00.