Bowmore 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2009)

On the nose there are initial moments of greenness and hints of immaturity; green malt, split peas, palm olive sap and pine resin.  After a few minutes in the glass this changes to a sweeter sample along with malt and now finally some hints of peat smoke (& hints of charred damp firewood). A bit of a wobbly start. The taste is significantly better than the nose and is quite delicious. Good thing defeat was not recognised on the nose or the taste would have been missed. The peat smoke is now nicely intertwined with some dry cocoa, malt and wood spice. There is also some malt and hints of herbs. Nice. Actually very good. This is not a huge Islay but an Islay none the less. Sometimes a more gentle whisky is called for; no need to be beat about the head with the proverbial peat bog all the time. The finish is easy going like the nose and the taste but now the peat is backed by some grapefruit (a bit of bitter and sweet citrus). The peat is starting to rise and is becoming much more dominant. It is long and very good. A late arrival of some black pepper and then a huge dollop of malt.

A great dram to share with a friend.

C$48

Score 86

Bowmore 15yo Darkest (43%, OB, New presentation, +/-2009)

To be sure a splendid ‘darkest’ colour and the back label “Bowmore Sherry Cask Finished” however there is no mention of non chill filtered or the addition of spirit caramel so one is forced to arrive at the inevitable conclusion of chill filtration and the addition of colour. The nose is Islay; peat smoke and combined very nicely with sweet sherry notes. When sherry and peat combine it can be sublime. There are also hints of heather and coffee in the back ground; quite light. There is also a combination of malt and fruit cake which contribute to the rich heady aromas. The taste is of peat smoke, sherry and malt. It is clean and vibrant and very good. The peat smoke and the sherry are the big contributors here and the malt is the out of town cousin in for the weekend. All work very well together; there are also tinges of the heather and maybe some gentle rose water. All in all very good. The finish is malty and of peat smoke that quickly becomes quite dry. It is reasonably long and then becomes dry and peaty. Nice.

This is nice, a good dram from Bowmore.

C$83

Score 85

Bowmore 18yo (43%, OB, New presentation, +/-2009)

No mention of ‘no chill filtration or added color’ so one is forced to assume the worst. None the less on the nose there is gentle peat smoke and some slight hints that are vegetal but this quickly dissipates to give way to more of the peat smoke which is some spices like clove and nutmeg. These last two are gentle and not over powering. There is also some citrus in the form of oranges and some hints of the ocean plus some black liquorice. So far so good. The taste is very good, cocoa, peat smoke, the citrus and then some spice from the oak. Ah well, this is really nice whisky. There is also some wafts of heather and juniper intermingled with the peat smoke. A moment of freshly cut melon and the gentle peat smoke. The finish is vibrant, fruity and the ever present peat smoke is very much in evidence. The finish is warming, consistent and long; peat smoke and now some cocoa. A very nice finish.

Bingo! This is awesome stuff. Well done Bowmore.

C$105

Score 89 points

Bowmore 16yo 1992/2008 (53.5%, OB, ‘Limousin Bordeaux Wine Cask Matured’)

The first maturation was in ex-American bourbon barrels and there remained for 6 years for the final 10 years in Limousin Bordeaux Wine Casks. The color is a rich reddish shade. The nose is of peat and brine accompanied with brown Demerara sugar and loads of fruit (a mixture of berries and tree fruit – warmed apples). The peat takes on a sweet characteristic after a while in the glass with hints of vanilla. The aroma is very rich and very pleasing. The taste is much as the nose; loads of peat smoke and fruit backed by the fruit, vanilla and vanilla. After a moment or two there is the appearance of some dryness and cocoa along with some creamy Red River cereal. That was unexpected but it adds to the over all flavour. The finish is peaty and then malty which becomes very dry very quickly. The finish is long and rich with the malt and the dryness working well together. After 10 minutes some Fry’s cocoa appears.

A departure from the norm for Bowmore however this is not a quick ‘finish’ and the 10 years in the Limousin oak has added depth and character.

C$99

Score 87

Bowmore NAS Companions of the Quaich Canada 2000-2010 (54.6%, OB ‘Craftsman Collection’, 3,000 Bts.)

A special bottling to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the founding of the Companions of the Quaich www.thequaich.com . Normally this bottling “Maltmen’s Selection” is exclusive to the distillery however they made an exception for the Companions and bottled 300 bottles with a commemorative back label which were quickly picked up by the members. As an aside the box is really nice and lined with a velvet like material with a snug lid; quite suitable for burying small house hold pets should the need arise.

The color is quite dark with some nice ruby highlights however the nose is big and assertive and very Bowmore at first. While it still remains very Bowmore-ish (which is good) there is also peat and some lemon along with some more peat (just a turn above gentle and some what below aggressive but there is a duality to the peat level; sometimes it’s gentle and some times it’s not.) and then toffee mixed with heather. Finally there is some Christmas cake and clove. My goodness, quite a complex sample! The Christmas cake has an almost over sweetness verging on cloying (however this isn’t a complaint). The taste is warming, peated and very dry, very active and a slight fizziness along with a cream soda like taste and, oddly, grapefruit. There are also hints of malt and herbs. It’s a big whisky and very good, what a grand selection. Ah, a moment of brine in amongst the other descriptors. Black Java pepper. The finish is creamy, peated and warming, there are also hints of Oxo cubes and then the dryness after a while. After a few minutes some vague hospital almond bitterness pops up (if this makes any sense).

Very complex and loads of nice peat smoke intermingled in with everything else.

C$120

Score 87 Points

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