Scoring Bowmore Tequila with a grain of salt
The Bowmore Distillery on Islay is quietly purring away making excellent malt whisky, with its beloved floor malting and subtle peated output. The only thing I might have overheard people complaining about, is the recent change in bottle livery. I am not totally against it, but I liked the previous outfits (and especially the one before that) much better. Anyway, we have also seen more independent Bowmore come available, or at the least from Douglas Laing stock. Today, we have quite a special one on the table!
Bowmore 2014, 11 years old, bottled at 48,4 % abv by Douglas Laing
First things first: We find this expression in the Islay Collection of the Old Particular range by Douglas Laing. The cask with DL reference # 20726 produced 324 bottles of a Bowmore matured on bourbon with a tequila finish.
Upon Sipping: Now that is something new: Bowmore on tequila! Sticking my nose in the glass, it is rather interesting and fragrant, but not the usual tropical note that you would expect from a bourbon influenced Bowmore. The tequila, therefore, did the work! A rather crispy nose, dry baked potatoes, and a whiff of peat. If you happen to be a patient person, you will eventually get a more tropical note. Yes, I have to correct myself, when it had some time to rest in the glass, it did become more recognisably Bowmore. Good, let’s taste. Same story here, we pick up enough Bowmore to know what we are having, it just feels that the tequila element is in the way of a damn good whisky. When you swallow, the tequila flavour seems to stay behind on the tongue, with this strong agave note lingering on. There is a nice spicy bite in that. I am really split on whether I like this or not. The tequila is present and really adds to the whisky at hand, but somehow I do not like this as much as I do appreciate Mezcal influenced whisky. It is going to be a score with a grain of salt (and no lemon). With water, a more earthy aroma on the nose, and dry peat on the tongue. Actually, not a bad variation compared to drinking it neat.
Word to the Wise: Difficult, difficult, I am kinda liking the Bowmore elements, but the tequila does seem to get in the way of a good whisky. Still, it works, you just have to like tequila.
Score: 85 points.