Malt Mission 2007 #4

Bowmore Darkest 15yo
Single Malt
43% abv
£35
$65(USD)

The oldest distillery on Islay(Eye-la), located in the island's capital, still has its own functioning maltings floor. When we were last there Kristin had a chance to turn the barley and tossed it right in the distillery manager's face. "Sorry, Percy."

People always bitch about Bowmore, “too perfumy,” “too inconsistent,” “not well intergrated,” “has been shit since 19##”, etc. Don’t be swayed by the grumblings. No whisky is for everyone. That would ruin the fun.

TASTING NOTES:

Smells like sweet white wine but turns into sour grapes. Changes with each nosing, complex. A chocolate undertone. Something really assertive and sweet that I cant put my finger on… that smoky perfume everyone talks about with Bowmore? No, it is Fuzzy peach... or iced tea? Smoke is quite hidden but the Bowmore janitor’s closet character is present.

Tastes immediately peaty. Smoky, like sucking a spent pipe, with a sweet marmalade taste. Oh yeah, more sweetness. Fruity. Peachy. Some creamy features, jam and clotted cream. Estery and fruity. Pipe tobacco again, but fresh. Finishes with flashcards of flavours already noted but fizzles nicely, leaving faint and pleasant impressions of wet firewood and molasses.

SUMMARY:

A nice new Bowmore that captures the exotic fruit character of the old 15yo while also incorporating some of the sherried notes of the old no-age-statement Darkest. Doesn’t deliver on the promise of the nose, wont satisfy the sherry freaks, but certainly has the peaty kick that Islay freaks dig. I can see its appeal in having a little something for everyone.

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