...where distraction is the main attraction.

Friday, November 23, 2018

Bowmore 10 year old 2003 Whisky-Fässle

I used up all my rant juice in the previous post, so there shouldn't be even the thinnest of curmudgeon crust on this post.

But there are plenty of short paragraphs left over.

Whisky-Fässle (umlaut!) is another one of those fun independent bottlers that Continental Europe seems loaded with. I'm jealous of you people! W-F opened for business in Germany in 2006. I don't have any bottles of their stuff, but a certain Balcones Brimstone Blogger does, and he sent me a sample of this Bowmore. Its ABV is on the low side for its age, which is curious, but also a good thing because whiskies in the 46-52%abv range are currently hitting my palate just right. Also there's a duck on the label.


Distillery: Bowmore
Independent Bottler: Whisky-Fässle
Series: Ducks? Ducks.
Age: 10 years old (2003-2013)
Maturation: bourbon hogshead
Alcohol by Volume: 50.2%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? No
(thanks, MAO!)

NEAT
It's a bit of a comfy softy on the nose. Mint, cinnamon, cardamom, pears and peat. After 20+ minutes in the glass, the whisky gains some peach and rose notes. Some simple cuddly peat in the palate. A little bit of pepper and sugar. No oak. Like the nose, it picks up steam with time, gaining citrus zest and zippy fresh ginger. The warm, long finish holds tart citrus and apples with hints of cayenne pepper and peat.

DILUTED TO ~43%abv, or 1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky
Peach candy, lemon juice, roses and confectioner's sugar on the nose. The sweet and mild palate goes easy on the pepper and peat. Some flower blossoms, citrus and ginger linger about. The finish is sweet and peppery with a dose of tangy citrus.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Many indie Bowmores read MUCH peatier than their officially bottled cousins, but this week's two Bowmores go easy on the phenolics. This one in particular is on the simple side (MAO did mention this bottle had lost some oomph), but it's dangerously drinkable. A solid autumn malt. The W-F whisky ducks are now two for two.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - €80-€90
Rating - 85