A complex mix of Bowmore Islay single malt
Bowmore had such an interesting history, being not only the oldest whisky distillery on Islay, but even amongst the oldest in the whole of Scotland. Among people in the know, Bowmore is also known for that dark age, when all whisky seemed to come with a block of soap added to the mix. Those days are long gone, and since then Bowmore has been going from strength to strength. During a visit to Islay in January, we did an extensive tasting and tour, of which a Tom’s Dram Diary will be made in the near future, but let me tell you this: it was amazing. Not only the distillery, the whisky, but most of all the hospitality and the people themselves. In short: we love Bowmore. We had some samples waiting already, so here goes a random mix.
Bowmore 1994, 13 years old, bottled at 46 % abv by the Vintage Malt Whisky Company
First things first: Bowmore from the early 1990s started to change the opinion on this fallen giant after the terrible lavender induced 1980s. A new, more fruity, delicately peated style emerged. There is little information on the bottle, other then it was matured in oak casks – plural, so a batch vatting that was diluted to 46 % but not chill-filtered.
Upon Sipping: This was bottled in 2007 and believe it or not – this was a different era. In those days, we were happy to get more than 40 – 43 % abv. Looking at this now, I think some soul of this young Bowmore got lost in the process of watering it down. Having said that, after some breathing a nice maritime note starts to stand up. A hint of mango mixes into the discussion too. The first signs of a tropical note you can now even find in the standard 12 years old. The peated character is laid back. On the palate, this is a very friendly and soft Bowmore, with hints of sea water and much peatier than the aroma had hinted at. On the other hand, it will never be competition for the Kildalton distilleries, Caol Ila or peated Bunnahabhain. And that is exactly where Bowmore aims to be, right between all these characters, and being totally unique there.
Word to the Wise: This mellow Bowmore hits the spot perfectly. At a higher abv, it would have been more rewarding, but I blame the style of that innocent era of single malt consumption at the beginning of this turbulent century.
Score: 83 points.
Bowmore 14 years old, bottled at 43 % abv
First things first: This Bowmore matured on a combination of ex-bourbon casks and Bordeaux wine barriques. It was supposed to be a Travel Retail Exclusive, but I have seen it in other places. This Bowmore comes in a different design bottle than the usual range, with a nice wave twist in the neck.
Upon Sipping: Oh, this is enticing me straight away. It has an abundance of tropical fruit, marmalade and peat smoke. Some menthol notes reveal the wine influence here, but we are good with that for now. Taking a sip, I half and half expected to be disappointed by the thin mouthfeel because of the low abv, but the fruity frivolity of the whole makes it still a pleasant experience. On the finish, we pick up such a nice mix of tropical fruit and strawberry croissant, that I can only be very happy about this. It underlines that Bowmore has really gotten back into the business of making totally unique Islay whisky with a twist all its own. The wine adds nice chocolaty notes that makes this a very pleasant sip.
Word to the Wise: I am very impressed but what is presented here. This is a wine influenced whisky and all it did, is make this whisky more tropical and fruity. There is still plenty of peat smoke, but as always with Bowmore, very balanced. Good effort and a big surprise.
Score: 87 points.
Bowmore 25 years old, bottled at 43 % abv
First things first: This 25 years old Bowmore was bottled around 2013 and called Small Batch Release. Indeed, exactly 8000 bottles were produced, matured in American bourbon and Spanish Sherry oak casks.
Upon Sipping: This should be a batch from a late 1980s production. Are we still in the famous lavender-soapy era with this Bowmore? Let’s find out! It definitely is perfumy, floral, but also a bit farmy and robust. The sherry casks did some covering up of the weakness of this era’s distillate. There are also strong whiffs of peat smoke and the typical Bowmore tropical notes. It does feel very balanced. The palate kicks off with a floral , bitter note, but the mouthfeel is very masculine and pronounced. Not a lightweight Bowmore, like some frivolously fruity examples can be (and what we love). This Islay malt carries its age with dignity. Now, on the finish, there is a hint of what we fear in 1980s Bowmore, but so subdued it will not spoil our experience today. It actually keeps on leaning on a peaty characteristic that makes this an unorthodox Bowmore, not unlike the old standard 12 years old in the bottles that appeared around 2000-2003, with the seagulls on the label. You could even say, this 25 year old did not really progress much beyond that level, with the exception of a few hints of tropical fruit. The overall character remains close to earth – literally.
Word to the Wise: Rather impressed by this Bowmore, that feels a-typical to many modern-day expressions that have a lot more fruit in them. Maybe one of the transitional era expressions, and therefor incredibly valuable as a piece of Bowmore history.
Score: 88 points.
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