Irresistible Islay — New “Old Particular” Casks from Bowmore & Bunnahabhain
Our “Old Particular” program continues to be the go-to source for countless Scotch fans. No where else can you find such unique and rare expressions of Scotch at such competitive prices. Central to this program’s success is, of course, the quality of the whisky and the very strict set of criteria when selecting “Old Particular” casks. Central to our decision making is how well a bottling reflects its region, the distiller, and its age. This isn’t to say we are looking for cookie-cutter expressions. On the contrary, it’s expected that every bottling have its own unique profile and special flair. But if a whisky travels too far in one direction or is otherwise out-of-balance, then we take a pass.
The newest additions to our “Old Particular” portfolio are perfect examples of what we look for in a Scotch, or more specifically, Islay Scotch. The Bowmore 20 Year Old “Old Particular” has all the power and concentration one would expect from this historic distillery, while at the same time revealing a delicate and nuanced expression. For longtime Bowmore fans, it’s a can’t miss dram. The Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old, having been aged in a sherry hogshead, has the concomitant notes of oloroso, caramelized fruit, and salted nuts. Richly textured and with shockingly layered complexity, it punches far above its weight. The prices for both are downright amazing when you consider their age and pedigree. Our “Old Particular” bottlings never last on our shelves and we fully expect this pair to move at a very fast clip, so don’t think on this one for too long.
1997 Bowmore 20 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($149.99)
Another classic 20 year old Bowmore beauty from our friends at Old Particular has landed to make 2018 another banner year for our whisky import program. This 52.7% ABV stunner packs a healthy dollop of smoke along with tropical fruits and notes of citrus with plenty of length through the finish. The peat isn’t nearly as pronounced in this expression as it was in the previous edition, so fans of Talisker or other mildly peated malts might want to take a look at this one. The finish is sweetly smoked with a coastal sea air element, notes of vanilla, and lots of spice. It’s hard to go wrong with classic Bowmore at full proof, especially at this age.
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 12, 2018
This 20 year old Bowmore is more like an edition of the Compass Box Flaming Heart than a concentrated single cask expression. It’s so balanced with mild peatiness and plenty of sweet vanilla to add richness on the finish. Fans of more gentle Islay flavors will go gaga for this as everything is in perfect harmony here, even at 52.7%. Add this to your bar at your own peril: it’s too delicious to sip slowly.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 18, 2018
If I had to pick one distillery to drink for the rest of my life, Bowmore would definitely be in the running. They do some solid and safe stuff at the distillery, but where it truly shines are the single casks. I’m not sure why we’ve had such incredible luck with this distillery, but we’ve literally purchased every casks we’ve tasted distilled in the last several years (save the 1971 at Signatory, but only because it was $1000+ a bottle). While there was a weird period at the distillery from the early 80s to the mid 90s, they seem to have cycled through those casks and we’re not seeing the perfumed weird stuff any longer. What we have seen has been so delicious and diverse I just never get tired of them. Even more impressive is that we’re able to get old Islay whisky from a blue chip distillery and not charge $300 a bottle! Even though we’ve done two others this year already this cask was so different and absolutely delectable we couldn’t resist it. You may think you have enough Bowmore, but you’re wrong. It opens with a classic Bowmore nose, medium intensity peat, sea spray, wet earth, bright citrus fruit and herbs. Crystalline and absolute purity on the palate with the sweet tropical fruit, citrus peel and smoke working together in gorgeous harmony. The first whisky for Springtime! I like this better than the last cask by a few ticks and with a drop of water it’s one of the more inviting Bowmore we’ve ever bottled.
Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 12, 2018
I haven’t been so excited about single barrel Islay since our last Bowmore, and this is every bit as good as that was! It is creamy and delicate on the nose, with notes of orange marmalade and just a hint of peat. On the palate, it’s incredibly velvety and smooth, with fresh notes of tropical fruit, a creamy malt texture and an underlying peat that is robust without being invasive with perfect integration. This is the best deal in Scotch we have, so it certainly won’t last long.
Gary Westby | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 12, 2018
The salty and sweet twenty year old Bowmore has all of the charm of the best of Islay along with the complexity and length that only time will bring. If you like the natural style of non-Sherry influenced Islay, but want the texture and interest of an older malt, this is a perfect choice.
1991 Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($159.99)
This 25 year Bunnahabhain isn’t just from a “refill hogshead” barrel, it’s from a sherry hogshead and the dark, rich color of the malt lets you know at first glance that this is going to be one supple dram. Bunnahabhain, unpeated in its classic expression, takes on a completely different character in sherry than its Islay counterparts. While sherried Bowmore tends toward savory campfire notes and sherried Kilchoman towards sweet peat, sherried Bunnahabhain is like pure salted caramel, combining the sea elements of island maturation with the mouthcoating texture of a textbook Speyside malt. After 25 years in the barrel, this incredible specimen came out at 49.5% cask strength with an absolutely incredible color. Sweet sherry dances with caramelized apples and pears, lots of Oloroso rancio, and loads of oak spice on the finish. You’ll be thinking more along the lines of Macallan and Glenfarclas than Islay at the end of this one. This is a MUST for sherry heads.
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 12, 2018
Bunnahabhain has been having a banner year so far at K&L. First the distillery direct 13 year PX edition flew outta here as people went nuts for all that sweet sherry. Then we featured the 12 year old single cask expression from OP at a ridiculous bargain price. Now we’ve got this 25 year old single sherry hogshead edition to bring folks back on the sherry train. This baby is DARK, as in saturated with sweet sherry goodness. It’s also a PERFECT 49.5% ABV, so it’s sippable and ready to go right out of the bottle. I can’t say enough good things about this one. It’s a sherry head’s dream come true, lots of sweet textures and plenty of salty Islay character to add nuance. This will go very fast.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 18, 2018
Wow I mean just what the hell? We’ve had a string of wonderful Bunnahs over the last year, the result I believe of the distillery’s change in ownership. When the new owners took a look at all the old whisky in the warehouse that they didn’t own, I bet they sent a few thousand letters on fancy legal paper. Rent is going up! Anyway, we’re the great beneficiaries of that business acumen. Other independents have taken the good name and the old age and jacked the prices up, but we’ve got some good old friends in bonny Scotland who treat us well. The dark color forces a double take when it hits the glass. Refill? Dang! It must have been a fresh dump if you catch my drift, but it’s balanced and absolutely filled to the brim with life. The nose is nuts and orange liqueur by the sea. Dark fruit salted. Tobacco leaf and cedar pointed by subtle salted and stewed red fruit quality. Touches of dried kelp, freshly polished leather and no obvious peat. The sweetness of the nose is balanced by the rich savory entry on the palate. It’s a big one! Nice and dry with a big oak spice pulling through in the back. Truly a special cask, one of the best values we’ll ever offer.
Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 12, 2018
The color on this is unbelievable. Think deep mahogany, almost difficult to see through. The sherry influence is immediately evident on the nose with rich fruity notes of caramelized apples and pears. On the palate, it is rich and mouth-coating, with syrupy fruity sweetness and a nice long, malty finish. What a punch of flavor! It’s incredibly smooth and silky without the heat one expects from 49.5% alcohol.
Gary Westby | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 12, 2018
This spectacular quarter century old malt has the gentlemanly roundness that I always want but rarely encounter in long aged whisky. It is not only velvety and full in the mouth, it also has great nutty complexity from the Sherry wood treatment. I find this to be a value at the price. I am sure if it was being offered by the distillery instead of direct and exclusive from Old Particular, it would be more than twice the price!
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 12, 2018
When you pull the bottle out of the gift box the first thing you’ll realize is you’re dealing with a sherry aged beauty. It’s striking how dark it is; especially when you hold it next to our 12 year old Bunnahabhain cask. The nose is loaded with rancio, fudge, orange and cocoa. The palate is rich and weighty. The gentle smoke sails in the background. The salinity rides up front. If you already know and love Bunnahabhain, don’t miss this guy. If you’re just wanting to explore Islay but aren’t sure about full blown campfire smoke: start here.
