Bowmore
Fact Sheet
Founded: 1779
Current owner: Suntory (Morrison Bowmore)
Stills: 2 wash, 2 spirit
Capacity: 2 million litres per year
Location: Bowmore, Isle of Islay
Website: www.bowmore.com
Notable Facts: Bowmore is the oldest distillery on Islay.
Report of my visit to Bowmore Distillery
Bottlings
December 12, 2011
This rather typical Bowmore has only a slight sherry influence, probably from a refill cask. All flavour elements are very well balanced and make it a highly anjoyable malt. – Rating: 88/100
September 3, 2011
Without water this is a very untypical and somewhat strange Bowmore. But add a spash or two and it will transfrom into a nice albeit somewhat spicy dram. – Rating: 82/100
July 31, 2011
Quite a dry dram, but very complex and extremely enjoyable. It is very smooth neat, there is not really a need to add much water. – Rating: 88/100
April 3, 2011
A typical young Bowmore with a mix of fruit and smoke. It is rather smooth but also quite rich in taste at the same time. – Rating: 85/100
February 25, 2011
A very fine fruity Bowmore with a lot of flavours to discover. The wood influence after the long maturation time is only very gentle. – Rating: 87/100
January 29, 2011
Despite its pale colour this malt is pretty complex but also rather gentle. A few drops of water release even more flavours. Unusually “clean” for a Bowmore. – Rating: 83/100
September 25, 2010
A finish well done and not too overpowering. The fruity notes of the famous Pomerol mix quite well with the suprisingly strong peatiness of the Bowmore malt. – Rating: 83/100
August 14, 2010
At a higher botttling strength this unusual bourbon cask Bowmore could really excel. At 40% it can only be described as decent. What a pity. – Rating: 81/100
May 29, 2010
The character is not unlike the 15yo Darkest, but I think the 18yo lacks some of the richness without offering much in return. Especially the finish is a bit on the weak side. – Score: 82/100
April 15, 2010
Very rich in many different flavours, not a peat-in-your-face malt. Suprisingly smooth, maybe a even bit too much. I think it would deserve a bit more punch. – Score: 85/100
March 31, 2010
It’s a very nice whisky, but it does not really remind me of a tempest. Although it is quite peaty for a Bowmore I think its character is more breezy than stormy, even without water. The fruitiest of all peat monsters. – Score: 86/100
January 23, 2010
Fruitier than its 15 yo successor but less complex, still a good whisky though- Score: 85/100
November 4, 2009
A very untypical sherried whisky. I don’t like this one very much. The strong mint notes and the bitterness turn me off. – Score: 74/100
October 21, 2009
I like this even better than the 2007 Port Wood. Distinctly maritime with only little peat and quite fruity. Powerful! – Score: 92/100
September 26, 2009
More sherry than the regular 12yo, but not very sweet, definitely a notch up. Very good value for an affordable price. – Score: 86/100
September 16, 2009
A great combination of fruit and smoke, very complex – Score: 87/100
August 14, 2009
A great mix of sherry and peat (approx. 70/30) The name “Darkest” is fitting not only beacuse of the colour. It really tastes “dark”. – Score: 88/100
August 9, 2009
Quite untamed for a Bowmore, almost Laphroaig-ish but not quite as complex. But still quite a nice dram. – Score: 85/100
August 9, 2009
New Presentation – 40% My Tasting Notes Nose: Rather timid, slightly smoky, hints of fruit Palate: More peat than the nose suggests, smoked ham combined with dried fruits Finish: Rather long, smoky and dry Overall: A nice mix of gentle peat and gentle sherry, a good every-day dram. Score: 84/100 – Price Tag $$$$$ – [...]
July 27, 2009
Praised by many, but I was disappointed. Perhaps there was something wrong with the sample I recevied, I don’t know. You don’t notice that this is a 17 yo, might as well be a 12 yo. Almost like a cross between classic Islay and Lowlands. – Score: 73/100
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January 23, 2011
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October 23, 2010
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October 17, 2010
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September 29, 2010
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September 18, 2010
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June 30, 2010
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June 16, 2010
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June 3, 2010
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