Review #605 - Nc'nean Huntress Orchard Cobbler

Written By Me, My Wife & Whisky

Organic whisky - a growing category among single malt scotch, especially with the newer distilleries. This intensive process requires adjustments to grain sourcing, fermentation, distillation, and maturation - all parts of the whisky-making process, really. Nc'nean is one of the leaders in this style of whisky, as all of their whiskies are certified as organic.

The distillery has produced a special experimental series of whiskies, which they label as 'Huntress.' These whiskies are released each spring, and this one focuses on spirit that was distilled during a crossover period on Nc'nean's production. They produce two types of spirit, one intended for shorter maturation, and the other intended for extended maturation; during the week of each year where the switch between these styles happens, some of the qualities of the two styles combine, which Nc'nean believes may lead to stronger fruit flavors.

To complement that fruity spirit style, this organic single malt was aged in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and STR (shaved, toasted, recharred) red wine casks, and it was released in the spring season of 2024.

Nc'nean Huntress Orchard Cobbler

Scotland/Highland - Single Malt

Price: USD 125 (2025)

Age Statement: 4 Years

Strength: 48.5% ABV

Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and STR red wine casks

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled March 2024; 6,153 bottles

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Tons of apple - apple pie, yellow and green fruit, then honeyed pears and some malty backbone. Lots of orchard fruit in general, but also some baking notes like vanilla, cinnamon, a fresh pastry. It's a bit spirity and youthful, and in one tasting, we got a potato chip note.

Palate: A medium thickness mouthfeel; again, we get lots of apple, as well as strong malt notes and some honey, adding some sweetness. Youthful spirit brings some fizz and a light mineral note; Sprite soda and pear are found in the background.

Finish: Honey and pastry notes - cobbler, apple pie again. The malt takes on a dried grass or hay character, and we get some vanilla mixing with green banana. There's a nice oily character to the spirit that lingers, as well as some wood spice; it's a medium length finish.

Final Note: This is definitely fruity, as advertised - tons of orchard fruit, fitting of the name. It's a relatively light, sweet whisky, quite malt forward; while it is young, there's a nice weight and spirit character here that promises to be a good template as Nc'nean whiskies grow older.

As for value - we think this bottle is a bit overpriced. Organic whisky is more expensive to make, and new distilleries often have to charge a bit of a premium to recoup some of their startup costs, but $125 for 4 year old whisky that isn't cask strength seems a bit extreme. Not great on the value scale, but a pleasant whisky to sip nonetheless.

Our Average Rating: 6.3 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 5.25

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.

Me, My Wife & Whisky
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