Organic Scotch whisky distillery Nc'nean is leaning into the fruit flavours of a favourite staff dessert for the latest limited release in its Huntress series.

Released annually in April, the series of limited-edition whiskies is inspired by the distillery's namesake, the Gaelic goddess Neachneohain, said to be a bold, independent huntress.

The 2024 release, Huntress Orchard Cobbler, is the third release in the series. The spirit used for the release was produced at a cross-over point in Nc'nean's distillation regime: over the course of the year, the distillery makes two different spirit types — one designed to be released at a younger age and one to withstand longer ageing — and the spirit for Orchard Cobbler was produced in the week after these recipes were swapped over, which the distillery team says has resulted in a much fruitier spirit.

This spirit was then matured in a mixture of STR (shaved, toasted, and recharred) red wine casks (66 per cent), ex-American whiskey casks (31 per cent), and certified organic oloroso sherry casks (3 per cent). Tastings notes from Nc'nean say the whisky has flavours of cherry Bakewell tart, apricot marmalade, and vanilla custard.

Nc'nean Huntress Orchard Cobbler (48.5% ABV, non-chill filtered and with natural colour) will be available from 23 April with a recommended price of £88.95. More details are available at ncnean.com.

Based on the Drimnin Estate in the western Scottish Highlands, Nc'nean exclusively uses organic Scottish barley in the production of its whiskies. It is one of only a handful of distilleries that are B Corp certified (Bruichladdich on Islay is another), and in 2021 it became the first UK distillery to be certified as having net-zero carbon emissions across its scope one and two operations. The distillery is powered entirely by renewable energy and its whiskies — now available in 18 countries — are bottled in 100 per cent post-consumer-recycled glass.