Nc'Nean Huntress Malted Teacake (2017/2026)
With its Huntress Series, the sustainable Highland distillery Nc'Nean keeps putting a single building block of its production into the spotlight. For the Malted Teacake it's the yeast – a strain borrowed from brewing Belgian-style malty ales that gives this whisky its buttery, malty signature. Maturation from 2017 to 2022 in STR Red Wine, Bourbon and Oloroso casks, bottled in January 2026 at 48.5 % ABV.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Very malty and grain-forward, with fresh garden herbs and a crisp Granny Smith acidity. Freshly cut, slightly damp grass, a leafy peach, and the soft creaminess that the Belgian yeast strain quietly leaves behind in the background.
Palate
Malty at the core, immediately framed by honey and warm buttered toast. A spicy layer takes over – crema catalana with its caramelised crust – alongside a velvety, almost beery undertone from the Belgian ale yeast.
Finish
Medium length. The peach from the nose returns, riper now, carried by a spicy oak grip and a last toast note that lingers.
Thoughts
Marcel 80/100 - (Excellent)
Flavour-wise it's genuinely fine – malty, buttery, with a charming Belgian-beer twist. But pricing-wise it's simply bananas: for €135 per litre I expect more depth or at least an age statement to justify the bill. What's left is a likeable Highland malt with a nice story – the 80 points are for the liquid; the rest you'll have to negotiate with your own bank statement.
More about Marcel →
Sascha 82/100 - (Excellent)
Tastes great and has a lovely buttery, creamy texture, carried by a pleasant harmony of sweetness and spice. The Belgian ale yeast adds a slightly beery, malty twist you really don't get every day, while the STR maturation puts a clearly spicy frame around the bourbon vanilla and oloroso sweetness. In a few spots it still feels a touch young – a couple more years on wood would have added depth. For me, still a successful experiment that clearly carries the distillery's signature.
More about Sascha →Value for Money: 2/5 (Expensive)
Discover our value for money winnersThis product was kindly provided to us by Kirsch Import. This does not influence our rating. No payments or other benefits were received in exchange for this provision.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the Belgian ale yeast in the Nc'Nean Huntress Malted Teacake special?
The yeast strain used is more commonly seen in the brewing of Belgian-style malty ales and shapes the fermentation with creamy, malty and lightly spicy notes. In the finished whisky this shows up as a buttery texture and the jammy, slightly beery accents on the palate.
Which cask types were used for the maturation?
The Malted Teacake matured in a combination of STR Red Wine casks, Bourbon casks and Oloroso Sherry casks. STR stands for "Shaved, Toasted, Re-Charred" and adds an intense spice, which together with the sherry sweetness and the Bourbon vanilla forms the flavour backbone.
Why doesn't this whisky carry an age statement?
The casks were filled between August 2017 and September 2022 and bottled in January 2026 – so the youngest casks are just over three years old. Because Nc'Nean blends casks of different ages, the distillery skips an age statement and lets the aromatic profile do the talking instead.
