...where distraction is the main attraction.

Friday, December 31, 2021

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Concluding the Bowmore cluster

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

I needed something to get me to the end of 2021, something emotionless and focused, a simple trail to follow. This cluster served that purpose. And now I'm here and the end of the 24th month of 2020 has arrived. I'm going to take a break from clusters for a while, bringing back variety, or perhaps even a little chaos in 2022, since chaos has been the order of the day. But before that, I need to complete this series.

At the Bowmore cluster's halfway point, I highlighted how there was little difference in the quality between the OBs and the IBs. The second half of the series had zero official bottlings, and by the end I became interested in the Sherry Casks vs. the Bourbon Casks.

The Rankings!

Total Bowmores - 19
Mean - 85.58
Median - 86
Mode - 86

In the first half, the sherry casks had a ratings lead over the bourbon casks: 84.4 to 81.3. But the story flipped in the second half. In the latter half alone, the bourbon casks won out, 85.5 vs. 88.6. And though there were way more bourbon casks than sherry casks in the second half, 7 versus 2, it was the other way around in the first half, 3 berbs versus 7 sherries. So, unintentionally, the two types nearly equal in number.

Overall, the bourbon cask Bowmores edge out the sherry cask Bowmores, 86.4 to 84.7. If I lop off the highest and lowest score in each category, the scores get even closer: 87.3 to 86.3.

Because the sample size of one type was very small on each side of the midpoint, it's difficult to come to a solid conclusion. But it did seem like time and mild casks worked wonders for the bourbon vessel share, while youth and perky butts helped the sherried portion. So the victor depends what one's palate desires. Though a sherry cask release took first prize, the consistent high quality of the older hoggies won my heart in the end.

The Notes!

Because the '80s (and the ‘80s distillery management) were unkind to Bowmore's spirit, I'm only going to focus on the latter 17 members of this series. Also, please note, I am not counting descriptors like "peat", "smoke" and "sweet" unless my notes are more specific. I'm looking for more detail here.

The most used NOSE notes:




This surprised me because I thought I was using "Coastal", "Kiln" and "Seaweed" in almost every review. To me, those are part of the soul of the Bowmore spirit. But I'm glad to see there was a lot of variety in the nose notes across the cluster, and it's great to see that apricots and manure made the list! And I only said yuzu twice.

The most used PALATE notes:


Well, "herbal bitterness" and I go way back. The "pepper" category includes chiles, chile oil and cayenne, FWIW. What's curious about the limes, lemons and "tart citrus" is that those notes almost never overlapped. Combining them (and grapefruit) into one category would have put them in first place with 14. So my palate finds the citrus and salt in Bowmore very frequently.

The most used FINISH notes:

This confirms my unoriginal theory that Bowmore is one of the saltiest single malts. And when that salt mixes with fruits and phenolics, I am one happy drinker. Curiously, the whole tart citrus sensation only carried over into the finish about half the time. Salt and bitterness seemed to have more stamina.

The End!

The key to the pleasure of this cluster may have been the gentleness of the majority of the casks, especially the hogsheads. (Note the lack of "vanilla" and "tannic" and "woody bitterness" in those lists above.) The Bowmore spirit, since 1990, has been a glorious thing, and may even become a bit classy in its 20s. If Suntory can't figure out how to keep the oak levels down in their official releases, I hope more casks somehow find their way to the independent bottlers. If not, then we'll all miss out on something special.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Bowmore 17 year old 1991 AD Rattray, cask 2059

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

This cluster concludes with one more of those AD Rattray Bowmore casks about which I never shut up. I'll have to pipe down about them now, because I don't see a path to sourcing more of them. Also the Morrisons may be running low on this part of their stash. From 2005-2018, not a year went by without one ADR Bowmore release, but after only one in 2018 there hasn't been another since. So it goes.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: AD Rattray
Age: 17 years old (15 July 1991 - 30 June 2009)
Maturation: sherry cask
Cask #: 2059
Outturn: 340 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 58.1%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Peated milk chocolate cherry cordials start the nose. There's a significant heft to the peat, reading like Port Charlotte or Ballechin. One may also find fresh ginger and pineapple, orange peel and mint, and just a hint of soap. Reducing the whisky to 46%abv brings out that great kiln note I've been referencing recently. That's followed by damp leaves, almond extract, the ginger/pineapple note and the drop of soap.

The palate begins with a blast of sherry cask dried fruits and wood smoke. Then almond butter and homemade marshmallows (a fancy fluffer nutter). Salt, dried orange slices and a wormwood bitterness hide in the background. At 46%abv, the peat and sweet merge nicely. Less bitterness. More almond cookies. Hints of savory and tanginess around the edges.

It finishes with peat ash, salty almond butter, and "Macallan-but-burnt". It's similar, but sightly better at 46%abv. The Macallan-ish sherry cask-style remains, but it's less burnt. Savoriness and lemon join the peat and salt.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I tried this sherry cask Bowmore side-by-side with Monday's 25yo. Both improved with water, but neither sang the way I expected them to. This one had the slight edge because it was the better balanced of the two when neat. The nose's soap and the palate's generic sherry cask notes held this one back. Despite that, I wish I'd gotten a bottle of this when it was €75 twelve years ago!

Whew. After today's anticlimactic finish, I'm going to pull my notes together to provide the Cluster Conclusion tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - €75 in 2009
Rating - 86 (diluted)

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Bowmore 16 year old 1993 The Perfect Dram (53.8%abv version)

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

In 2010, The Whisky Agency bottled three separate 16 year old 1993 Bowmore hogsheads without cask numbers, with nearly identical labels. Graphic design doesn't change the flavor of the whisky (yet), but that approach is confusing. Anyway, one last sherry-free Bowmore for the year...

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: The Whisky Agency
Range: The Perfect Dram
Age: 16 years old (1993 - 2010)
Maturation: bourbon hogshead
Outturn: 222 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 53.8%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose has that perfect balance of kiln and seaweedy smoke. Then fresh herbs, fennel bulb, lemon peel, toasted pecans and a hint of watermelon candy. Diluted to 46%abv, the whisky shows less smoke, but more fruit variety (plums and apricots join the lemons) with a hint of rose blossoms in the back.

The zippy palate is full of bitter chocolate, charcoal smoke, horseradish and lemons. It has a great bitterness and just a touch of metal. At 46%abv, it's simpler, much more peppery, with oranges and ashier peat.

It finishes with lemon, salt and horseradish up front, dried herbs and smoke in the back. At 46%abv, the finish matches the palate.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Another great lazy cask lets the coastal spirit shine, especially at the reasonable full strength. It may not be as complex as other Bowmores from this cluster, but it is exactly what I'd want from a 16yo Islay malt. I have a feeling there were hundreds of such hogsheads filled with 1990s Bowmore distillate made available by independent bottlers. I hope many of you obtained a bottle or two or seven of these, opened them, shared them and enjoyed them.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 88 (when neat)

Monday, December 27, 2021

Bowmore 25 year old 1994 Adelphi, cask 554

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

Down to the final week of 2021 and this cluster, I wonder, "Is everyone cheering the end of both?"

Today's single Bowmore cask has the largest age statement of this series. Twenty-five year old sherry cask Islays will never again be cheap, and neither will Adelphi releases (just because), so this one appeared with a price tag three times that of last week's lovely 22yo OMC bottlings. But one cannot be angry at an inanimate object for the actions of humans. The whisky's price is not its fault, but hopefully it'll taste good!

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: Adelphi
Range: Limited
Age: 25 years old (1994 - 2019)
Maturation: refill sherry butt
Cask #: 554
Outturn: 498 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 54.2%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose feels closed at first with fleeting whiffs of orange peel, ash and cut grass. The ash note expands then shifts towards wood smoke. Small bits of cherry candy and butter become cloaked in menthol. It improves once diluted to 46%abv, as it picks up seaweed, seaside and cold kiln notes, followed by limes, baked pineapple and charred marshmallows.

The palate comes across kind of wonky and weird. It's very ashy and plasticky, yet also sweet and tannic. A little bit of salt and seaweed in the background. Dilution also helps here, once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv. The tannins and sweetness recede. The ash and plastic are replaced by kiln smoke. Citrus peels appear along with a good (not-woody) bitterness.

It finishes tangy, smoky, sweet, metallic and very burnt. Much better again at 46%abv, as the lemons, herbal bitterness, dry peat smoke and a touch of sweetness linger.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

As per my notes, water is the key to this whisky, though it still doesn't strike me as something I'd pay €135 for, let alone its €335 primary market price from two years ago. Perhaps my palate has been spoiled across these seven weeks of high quality Bowmores, but this cask does not fill me with the exuberance experienced by the Whiskybase community. I think it's pretty good stuff at 46%abv, so if you're struggling with your bottle, get out your pipette, eyedropper, or turkey baster and have at it.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - I dare not look
Rating - 85 (diluted)

Friday, December 24, 2021

Bowmore 22 year old 1996 Old Malt Cask, cask 15354 for K&L

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

The final '96 Bowmore of the cluster is one that was much loved by Mr. Opinions. I'm not sure how often he has given a K&L pick 91 (non-EW) points, but the two of us tend to agree on indie Bowmore's quality, so I was anticipating regretting not purchasing another bottle. At least I got in on a bottle split, so I figured I wash that regret down with the Bowmore itself.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: Hunter Laing
Range: Old Malt Cask
Age: 22 years old (June 1996 - July 2018)
Maturation: refill hogshead
Outturn: 258 bottles
Exclusive to: K&L Wine Merchants
Alcohol by Volume: 53.9%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Nose (neat) - I don't find much at the start, which weirds me out. Maybe some toasty oak, a hint of manure, grapefruit......And then at the 30-minute mark come piles of guavas and toasted seaweed.
Nose (diluted to 46%abv) - Ah here it is. The grapefruit, guava, seaweed and smoke align and lift off, floating above a table of freshly carved cured meats.

Palate (neat) - The palate doesn't tarry. Chiles, lemons, peaches, ocean, heavy smoke. Minerals and ink. A bold tartness develops with time.
Palate (diluted to 46%abv) - The fruit becomes more floral, if that makes sense (if any of my notes make sense). There's a little bit of bitter chocolate and savoriness now. A slight herbal bite.

Finish (neat) - Ocean and smoke meets guavas and white peaches, and it gradually gets fruitier.
Finish (at 46%abv) - Lemony smoke blends with a great herbal bitterness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

There are times when whisky wears me out. And I don't mean The Scene (which I lost contact with a few years back). Balancing this liquid that's become a symbol of conspicuous consumption, with finding the right amount to sip before the negative physical effects slip in, and just trying to find the right time for a casual drink, starts to require more energy than I care to spare.

And then I sip something terrific, two things terrific. This pair of OMC casks (Wednesday's and today's) gave me that reminder I need every once in a while, kindling an enthusiasm that's been in short supply, in general. When a whisky says, "Psst, I'm fucking fabulous. Cheer up, old man," I can still hear it.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 90

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Bowmore 22 year old 1996 Old Malt Cask 20th Anniversary, cask HL 17091

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

I started Monday's review mentioning the triple Taste-Off of 1996 Bowmores that I'd fulfilled last Saturday. And, yes -- spoiler alert? -- it was a wonderful lineup. It's a cluster within a cluster, a highlight within a highlight.

The second whisky of the hoggie trio is one of Hunter Laing's Old Malt Cask 20th Anniversary offerings. These anniversary casks rolled out the same time as Signatory's 30th Anniversary whiskies. Laing didn't add much of a premium (if any) to the prices of their celebratory whiskies, while Signatory boosted their suggested prices 50%-100%. And, frankly, the OMCs interested me more, with Bowmore, Ardmore, Craigellachie and Inchgower among the crowd. Of course, I never got around to buying any, of course. I should have bought this one.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: Hunter Laing
Range: Old Malt Cask
Age: 22 years old (June 1996 - August 2018)
Maturation: hogshead
Outturn: 288 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 50%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Nose (neat) - The peat arrives more as moss and earth than smoke, and it mixes elegantly with peach puree, yuzu and grapefruit. Gentle farm notes and eucalyptus drift around the edges. A little of the coast (the Irish west coast to me) lingers in the background.
Nose (diluted to 46%abv) - The fruit moves forward, everything else recedes. A little of Ardmore-like beach/wood smoke in the background. Maybe a hint of a creamy confection.

Palate (neat) - A balance of peat and sweet. Chile oil and mango juice. Charred bell pepper skins and orange peels. A slight bitter herbal glow.
Palate (at 46%abv) - Minerals and smoke. Cinnamon mixes with the mango. What a mouthfeel!

Finish (neat) - I find nectarines merging with the chile oil. Bitter herbs and wood smoke.
Finish (at 46%abv) - It's sweeter and fruiter, with a puff of cigar smoke in the background.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I'm actually sipping the second ounce in between typing up these paragraphs. So, my apologies if the paragraphs are short.

The chiles swirl through the lightly tart and sweet nectarine and mango juices. And, yeah. The damned thing was bottled around my 40th birthday and I didn't buy it. Cheers to those who did.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 90

Monday, December 20, 2021

Bowmore 19 year 1996 AD Rattray, cask 960059

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

On Saturday night, I did a triple Taste-Off of 1996 Bowmore single hoggies, which puts it in the running for The Evening of the Year. I'd like to thank past-me for scheduling such a thing.

AD Rattray's cask #960059 bats leadoff. This is the fourth '96 Bowmore ADR single cask review on this site, which is positively Valentinian! Anyway, I ♡ their Bowmores so I'll skip the babble.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: A.D. Rattray
Age: 19 years (27 March 1996 - 5 May 2015)
Maturation: hogshead
Cask number960059
Bottle count: 275
Alcohol by Volume: 49.2%
(from a purchased sample)

NOTES

The simple, lean nose focuses first on barley, BBQ peat and saline. There's never any heat, nor vanilla. Small notes of new tires, cured pork and apricots develop after a while. Diluted to 46%abv, the whisky develops a good balance of farm, beach, smoke and saline.

Salt, lemons and seaweedy peat arrive in the palate first, followed by apricot jam and pink peppercorns. It takes on a mix of heat, pepper and bitterness after a half hour, but then shifts back to seaweed and stone fruits at the hour-mark. The fruits get sweeter at 46%abv, and are met with wood smoke and hints of chile peppers and salt.

The peat reads loudest in the finish, with salt, lemons and apricot jam in the background. It takes on bitter herbs and peppercorns with time. Reduced to 46%abv, it finishes with a blend of sweet fruits and peat.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Though it's not the most sophisticated member of the cluster, this whisky is a very crisp and solid pour, offering a great demonstration of 19 years in a lazy cask. The curiously low ABV turns out be a good strength here, and I like the whisky more than its stronger sibling cask 960057. It feels like a good autumn evening malt, or perhaps something to enjoy at the beach on a cool spring night. Or to pair with two other '96s...

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 87

Friday, December 17, 2021

Bowmore 21 year old 1997 Douglas Laing Private Stock

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

Douglas Laing's Private Stock range is from the "Laing family's personal Whisky collection" as per their website. I suppose that means the Private Stock casks are those that the Laings keep for themselves rather than selling their customers......except when they bottle the casks to sell to their customers. Some of the Private Stock releases appear to be partial casks, like today's Bowmore, and sometimes the outturn looks like a full cask. That the approach seems slightly scattered, also makes it feel more like these are legitimate personal picks. I'm happy to give one a try.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Range: Private Stock
Age: 21 years (June 1997 - December 2018)
Maturation: refill hogshead
Outturn: 51 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 48.8%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

A swirl of spent motor oil, piney peat and fresh rosemary fill the nose, with smaller notes of rye bread and citronella candles in the background. It becomes fruitier at 46%abv, with oranges and guavas merging with the smoke.

The palate arrives with precise balance. First: smoke and salt, with a hint of sweetness. Then: a squeeze of lemon and a bit of baked pineapple, and a whiff of farm in the background. Diluting it to 46%abv barely alters it, with just a little more citrus and herbal bitterness arising.

It finishes with the smoke, salt and citrus all in tune. The smoke drifts back forth between kiln and cigarettes. At 46%, the citrus and salt take the fore.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This style, possibly my favorite contemporary Islay approach, is what I've been waiting for. Every part of this whisky is in tune, nothing overwhelms. All peace, no violence. My notes on this are brief because I was in "Damn" mode during the whole tasting. If just a couple more of these Bowmores approach this level, then this will be my favorite cluster so far.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - probably quite high
Rating - 90

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Bowmore 20 year old 1997 Old Particular, cask DL 12122 for K&L Wine Merchants

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

Monday was 1998. Today and Friday it'll be 1997. (I wish.) Whisky #7 in this cluster was also a K&L Old Particular Bowmore bottled in 2017. Younger and from a smaller cask, that one was kinda nude and kinda raw, but not as saucy as that sounds. I won't hold that against this whisky, because single casks offer a variety of views into each distillery's whisky. Had I still lived in California when this hit the shelves, I probably would have given it a chase. Because 20+ year old Bowmore.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Range: Old Particular
Exclusive to: K&L Wine Merchants
Age: 20 years (March 1997 - September 2017)
Maturation: refill hogshead
Cask #: DL 12122
Outturn: 256 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 52.7%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Another nearly naked nose. I enjoy these notes of broken rocks, lemon zest, kiln and a little bit of farm. With time it picks up hints of flowers, mango, toffee and pencil shavings. The nose gets simpler once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv, but it's well-balanced. More limes than lemons. More wood smoke than kiln.

The palate begins with mezcal?!?!!1/! At 20 years old? A good mezcal at the beach. Ah, now some super tart fruits form a shell around it. The smoke gets heavier, almost metallic, after some time in the glass. Diluting it to 46%abv helps out matters. The smoke gets ""better"" and ""older"". (My handwritten notes have the actual "" in them. I don't know.) Anyway, the limes and grapefruits become more vibrant and a good bitterness appears.

It finishes with heavy kiln smoke, salt and herbal bitterness, which doesn't change much after the whisky is dropped to 46%abv.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

First off, I appreciate that K&L selected low-oak Bowmores when it came to these two Old Particulars. Neither is an easy whisky. I prefer this one, though again the nose far outpaces the palate. And, again, dilution helps. Had I found all those nice fruits that My Annoying Opinions references in his review, we likely would have had the same score. What can I say? That man just loves K&L.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $149.99 back in 2017
Rating - 86

Monday, December 13, 2021

Bowmore 13 year old 1998 Asta Morris, cask AM003

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

This cluster's final nine Bowmore single malts were all distilled between 1991 and 1998. I know a lot of folks like Bowmore's early Aughts the best, but I tend to prefer this '91-'98 timeframe. Aside from this first pour, these remaining whiskies will have some age on them, with five cracking the 20 year mark.

Today's Bowmore was one of the earliest releases by Asta Morris, a Belgian independent bottling company started by former Malt Maniac, Bert Bruyneel. This is only the second Asta Morris I've tried, the first being a great 2000 Ardmore. I'm unable to moderate my expectations here...

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Bottler: Asta Morris
Age: 13 years (1998 - 2011)
Maturation: maybe a bourbon barrel?
Cask #: AM0003
Outturn: 211 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 49.7%
(from a purchased sample)

NOTES

The nose begins filled with salty ocean air, barley, brown sugar, shortbread and fresh kettle corn. Steel wool and kiln linger in the background. Notes of grapefruit, young calvados and apricot jam develop over the next 30 minutes.

The palate starts off with hay, hay smoke, wool, grapefruit and lychee. More citrus and perky bitterness appear soon after. It remains gently sweet and earthy as the smoke gradually tilts towards cigars.

It finishes with earth, stones, hay, limes, grapefruit and salt.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

If all young Islay single casks tasted like this I would be damned broke right now. The very low ABV worked in the whisky's favor, and I could not bring my pipette to alter the pour. Though this could have stayed in its cask for a few more years in order to tease out more complexity, that would have risked the oak elbowing in. My guess is most current producers would have risked that, but Asta Morris's conservative approach resulted in a crisp high quality Bowmore.

Availability - Sold out a decade ago
Pricing - ???
Rating - 89

Friday, December 10, 2021

Halfway through the Bowmore Cluster

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

I received an email this morning from a popular European whisky retailer promoting their newest wares. One of the new whiskies was a 17 year old 2003 Bowmore. Its price: €279.

This is why I won't be opening any Bowmore bottles for this cluster. Because I don't have any more Bowmore bottles. As this cluster will likely demonstrate, independently bottled Bowmore is of considerable quality, so a purchaser is very likely to possess some good brown poison when buying a bottle of the stuff. But the prices are unsettling. Yes, the bottlers are following the market, selling their whiskies at prices that people are indeed paying. But who are you people? And are you aware of the apocalyptic terror behind your FOMO? This situation is not about whisky anymore.

This isn't a plea for everyone to lower whisky prices for me. With producers — of both corporate and independent ventures — going Full Meth Dealer on their customer base, while pushing oak-filled often-neutered products, I'm not sure I'd rush back to buy anything other than daily drinkers, even if prices were to fall by 50%. I've already spent a lot of money on whisky over the past dozen years, and I possess more unopened bottles than I need, of whisky styles I like.

**RANT OVER**

This Bowmore cluster has been ruled by the sherry casks. Of my top three faves so far: one had little-to-moderate cask influence; one blended its strong spirit with a vibrant-but-controlled cask; and one was just freaking awesome. And all were bottled 5 to 9 years ago.

"But, sir," you say. "70% of the cluster's whiskies were bottled during that same time frame. What's your point?"

And I say, "Well, it's simple......Hey what the hell's that over there? SMOKE BOMB!" And you'll never know I ran away.

(If it makes you feel any better, the majority of the remaining Bowmores were bottled 2-4 years ago. Nothing newer, though. Prices have gotten so high that even bottle split commitments are getting hefty.)

Not too many of us expected the OBs to beat the IBs in this series, but their mean scores aren't too far apart so far. 82.8 versus 84.2. And they're in a virtual tie if I drop out the two lowest scores. Yet, the official bottlings, other than the 2012 Feis Ile superstar, have had limited palate appeal. Three were all cask, no spirit (the "all hat, no cattle" of the whisky world?), and another was something I'd rather forget. Fortunately for my tastebuds, but unfortunately for my math, the remaining nine Bowmores are all independently bottled single casks. So we may never know who would win.

One final observation before we all enjoy our weekends.

The peat level in these ten whiskies has varied widely from Bowmore to Bowmore, probably ranging between "2" and "7" in Serge Valentin's SGP scale. That's one of the pleasures of single casks, and especially of Bowmore itself. Sometimes it's a whisper, sometimes it's a shout. Perhaps life is less like a box of chocolates and more like a warehouse of Bowmore casks. Just lock me in there alone and go piss off. 

Er, I mean I would love to share it all with you. Happy Friday!

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Bowmore 18 year old, Feis Ile 2020

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

Monday's glorious Feis Ile Bowmore may be this cluster's Whisky to Beat. Like that one, this Bowmore lived in sherry casks for some time, then spent an extra year in bottles when the 2020 festival was cancelled. Its outturn was four times the size of the 2012's thanks to Feis Ile's swelling attendance.

I'm just assuming I'll never attend Feis Ile. That's not due to the crowd of international taters nor the public drunkenness. Rather my 2012 Whisky FOMO developed into Whisky TOMO ("T" = "Thrill") before 2020. Now I get to try things years or decades late!

Anyway, here's some first fill sherry cask Bowmore. Let's see if it can compete with the 2012 release.


Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Age: at least 18 years
Bottled: 2020
Sold: 2021
Maturation: first-fill Oloroso sherry casks
Outturn: 3000 bottles
Bottled for: Feis Ile 2020
Alcohol by Volume: 51.2%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

A very different whisky than Monday's 15yo. Peat doesn't take the lead in the nose, instead it starts with anise, butter and Luxardo cherry syrup. Then comes a mineral-like peat, which then takes 20+ minutes to get earthier. Elmer's glue and dates fill in the gaps. Diluting it to 46%abv, makes the nose peatier and more herbal. Chocolate and mint join the dates.

The palate is darker, smokier and pepperier than the nose. Some veg and grass, burnt and unburnt in the midground. Milk chocolate and salt. Fortified wine in the background. Smoke and sweetness are better balanced once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv. It also picks up limes, hay and fennel seed.

Lots of pepper and ash in the finish, with smaller notes of salt and dried berries around the edges. At 46%abv, the finish matches the palate.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I wasn't shocked to discover that the casks in the 2020 bottling were much more active than those in the 2012. So it goes. Dilution helps this whisky out, putting things in balance, perhaps merging the blend better. There's a chance this would have fared better had it not been paired with Monday's whisky, but perspective is part of the cluster package.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - £300-£500
Rating - 86 (with dilution)

Monday, December 6, 2021

Bowmore 15 year old, Feis Ile 2012

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

This week brings a pair of official Feis Ile limited bottlings to the Bowmore cluster. Neither has a listed vintage but complex maths tell me that they fit into this part of the cluster. Both are of a very dark due, and from sherry casks, so I'm pairing them off against each other. After these, the remainder of the cluster belongs to the indies.

First up, Feis Ile 2012. For that hardy party, Bowmore rolled out two bottlings. One was a 26 year old. I have a sample of the other:

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Age: at least 15 years
Bottled: 2012
Maturation: sherry cask(s)
Outturn: 750 bottles
Bottled for: Feis Ile 2012
Alcohol by Volume: 55.4%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

I could tell you about the nose's nocino and fig notes, but they're far in the background. The real story here is how this Islay whisky smells like 1980s Brooklyn. Hot tar, bus exhaust, tennis balls, tire fires and some odd dumpster funk. I am strangely moved by this sense memory. It loses no power once reduced to 46%abv, but shifts styles a bit. More chalk and earth appear, as so dried stone fruits. Industrial smoke stacks loom largest.

The palate starts with big savory peat, charred beef and charred bell pepper skins. Cruciferous veg and chile oil in the middle, figs and limes in the back. It gets sweeter and figgier at 46%abv. The tart limes remain, as does a little bit chile oil. Plenty of kiln smoke surrounds it.

Peat, salt and savory fill the massive finish. Bits of lime zest, mint leaf and basil leaf add color. Once the whisky is dropped to 46%abv, the finish gets sweeter, simpler and friendlier.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This whisky stole my heart. Even leaving aside the personal connections, I adore this colossal style that could easily take on the southern Islay trio. Yeah there are sherry casks involved, but they cannot keep up with the powerful spirit. Please Bowmore, lie to me and tell me you have not been drowning casks like this in the 15yo "Darkest" for the past decade and a half.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 91

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Bowmore 18 year old Manzanilla Cask, The Vintner's Trilogy

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

Bowmore's The Vintner's Trilogy was an interesting secondary maturation experiment that started before the single malt market got hot. All three whiskies spent their first 13 years (why 13?) in bourbon barrels before getting re-casked into grapey vessels. The 27 year old, released in 2018, spent 14 years in port casks, and I sincerely hope no '80s distillate made its way into that parcel. The 26 year old, released in 2017, may have been distilled around the same time as the 27, and had a second 13 year experience in French wine barriques. The baby of the bunch was today's 18 year old, which spent five years in Manzanilla casks.

More things:

1. I don't know its actual distillation vintage, but basic math tells me 1999-ish.
2. This is the only one of the trio I wanted to try.
3. This is the only one of the trio I was able to source.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Age: at least 18 years
Bottled: 2017
Maturation: 13 years in bourbon barrels + 5 years in Manzanilla casks
Outturn: ?????
Alcohol by Volume: 52.5%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose begins well, with pistachios, walnuts and green plums up front, brown sugar and dried apricots in the back. Maybe some anise-loaded digestif as well. It reads more metallic than smoky. Once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv, the brown sugar and fruit move forward, while the nuts back off a smidge. Still, not much peat to be found.

The palate reads much sweeter than Manzanilla. Candied pecans, mint candy and ginger beer start things off. A light, dusty smoke appears next, followed by hints of toffee and toasted oak. At 46%abv, it's all almond brittle, lemons and vanilla bean.

It finishes with lemon and ginger sodas, toasted oak, woodier smoke and marzipan. When diluted to 46%abv, it matches the reduced palate with a hint of ash at the tail.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Two things were immediately apparent with this Bowmore. Firstly, it was a very easy (though simple) drinker. Secondly, it may be the least peaty Bowmore I've ever tried. The palate was a bit too sweet for my lips, which is weird because Manzanilla ain't no sweetie. Perhaps the casks were heavily charred? The nose was much more interesting and complex, and left me wishing that palate had matched it better. I have a feeling those casks buried some of this whisky's character, including its Islay heart.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $127.99 back in 2017
Rating - 84

Monday, November 29, 2021

Bowmore 15 year old 2001 Old Particular, cask DL 11658 for K&L Wine Merchants

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

After two great sherry cask 2001 Bowmores, I now present a 2001 Bowmore from a bourbon cask. Though I wish I could do another half dozen of these 2001s, this will indeed be the last one for this cluster. It's another K&L exclusive, bottled by the other half of the Laing family, and it rumbles in at 58.5%abv. I'm game.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Range: Old Particular
Exclusive to: K&L Wine Merchants
Age: 15 years (October 2001 - April 2017)
Maturation: bourbon barrel
Cask #: DL 11658
Outturn: 185 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 58.5%
(sample from gridleysredemption, thank you sir!)

Note: Because of the multiple dilutions, these notes will be listed via my old school method. 

NEAT

Whew, the nose comes in raw and vegetal, with lots of grass and weed (ha!). Grain, hot coals and a whiff of citronella candle follow next. It picks up some mild beach and butterscotch notes with time.

The palate begins hot, ashy and bitter. And there's lots of grass and burlap. Meanwhile, lychee and kiwi juices float beneath it all.

Oof, super bitter finish too. Wormwood, lemongrass, eucalyptus and ash. The fruit goes bitterer as well.

DILUTED TO 50%abv

A clearer, richer peat enters the nose, followed by oats, citronella candles and ganja. Hints of tree bark and vanilla bean stay in the background.

The palate reads more pulled together. Less bitter, more zesty tart citrus (or tart citrus zest?). Mild peat and cinnamon syrup fill in the midground.

It finishes with lemon candy, smoke and a hint of lychee.

DILUTED TO 46%abv

The nose shifts back to a rawer style of grains, grasses, kiln and peanuts.

The palate reads very faint for 46%abv, with mild notes of citrus, pepper, lychee, toasted oak and vanilla.

Tarter and bitterer than the palate, the finish still holds onto some vanilla and lemon.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

My nose and palate prefer this at 50%abv. It still reads about half its age, but it's a better focused winter pour at that strength. Though some vanilla snuck into the whisky, the barrel still feels multi-refill-ish. That's no sin, but the other five 2001 Bowmores (three of which were K&L's) I've reviewed here were all pretty damned good. This is merely, "yeah it's good for a couple drinks." I consumed my two pours, and now I'm going to assign a number to a fluid that people worked hard to produce.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $89.99 back in 2017
Rating - 83

Friday, November 26, 2021

Bowmore 14 year old 2001 Hepburn's Choice for K&L Wine Merchants

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

As you can see in the pic below, this is one of those "refill butts" that produced a whisky darker than many first-fill sherry butts. It's magic, I guess. This whisky has the tough job of following Wednesday's excellent sherry cask Maltbarn release from the same vintage. Good luck, whisky!

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: Hunter Laing
Label: Hepburn's Choice
Exclusive to: K&L Wine Merchants
Age: 14 years (2001 - 2016)
Maturation: refill butt
Outturn: 420 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 54.4%
(sample from gridleysredemption, thank you sir!)

NOTES

The nose shows more salt and minerals than actual peat. Plenty of fresh sage too. But it's the blend of blueberry jam, clover honey, demerara syrup and orange peel that tends to dominate. It gets funkier and peatier once reduced to 46%abv. Its mix of ocean side and boat dock reads like Port Ellen Lite, which is not the worst thing. Mild notes of baked apples and toasted oak provide some depth.

The palate begins very herbal with lots of fresh sage and rosemary, with strawberry jam and honey sitting in the background. It takes 20-30 minutes for the peat to show up, arriving then as wood smoke. A hint of bitterness appears with time, then improves once the whisky is diluted to 46%abv. It's still plenty sweet, but balanced by lots of salt and heavier smoke.

Curiously, the peat appears first in the finish, all ash and kiln. It has the palate's strawberry jam and a pinch of tannin. At 46%abv, the whisky finishes saltier and less sweet, with sage smudge in the background.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Another very good 2001 Bowmore, though this one has its own style, and improves significantly with air and dilution. This would have been a fun bottle to have. 60mL changed so much in a Glencairn in one hour, who knows how it would have transformed in a bottle over a few months. Trying to track the characteristics of all these Bowmores will likely turn out to be foolish, but Foolish is my middle name. Or at least I think that's what the F stands for.

One more 2001 Bowmore on Monday...

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $82.99 back in 2016/2017
Rating - 88 (with water)

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Bowmore 11 year old 2001 Maltbarn, No. 09

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

According to my records, I tried this whisky already and gave it a score of 86. But as you know, if something isn't shared publicly then it never happened. THANKFULLY, Mr. Opinions shared a sample of the bottle he opened for his recent twenty-first birthday (congrats, Kiddo!). He liked the whisky way more than 86-points-worth. So it's time to find out how wrong I was, publicly.

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: Maltbarn
Age: 11 years old (2001 - 2012)
Maturation: sherry butt
Cask numberNo. 09
Outturn: 175 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 53.6%
(thank you to My Annoying Opinions for the sample!)

NOTES

The nose starts out with seaweedy peat, candied pecans and nutmeg, while nectarines and green plums float through the background. Its seaweed character strengthens with time, while new notes of sandalwood and manuka honey arise. Once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv, the peat and fruit (key limes and yuzu) expand, with hints of iodine and band-aids lingering in the back.

The palate begins a bit sweeter than expected, loaded with clover honey. The sweetness recedes into a mix of coastal peat, industrial smoke, cayenne pepper and limes. At 46%abv it's full of ultra tart citrus and salty peat, and just a little bit of dates.

It finishes with a subtle honeyed pastry note, limes, coal smoke and ocean brine. The coal smoke remains at 46%abv, while clementines replace the limes.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This is indeed great whisky, and it makes me miss my retired bottle of 2001 Bowmore from Cadenhead. They're different whiskies but both of high quality. This Bowmore's sherry cask had very little influence on the whisky, which works in its favor, letting the Bowmore goodness thrive. I hope more of this cluster's numerous sherry casks play as nicely. It'd be a shame to cover up this style.

Availability - ???
Pricing - ???
Rating - 89

Monday, November 22, 2021

Bowmore 10 year old 2002 AD Rattray, cask 20102

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

Ah, look at the color of that whisky below! 💛 That hue announces, "This is the perfect place to start the main part of the Bowmore Cluster." In so many words. And it marks a good contrast to Friday's Bowmore.

I'm also a really big fan of AD Rattray's Bowmore casks, and more of their Bowmores will appear in this cluster. Cask 20102 interests me because it has received a handful of Whiskybase scores that are lower than I'd expect for a Rattray Bowmore. When I first started this blog, I found AD Rattray (aka A. Dewar Rattray) to be one of the most reliable indie bottlers. That feeling has been reversed over the past four years. So, could they have messed up a Bowmore?!?!?!

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: A.D. Rattray
Series: Spirits of the Sea
Exclusive to: Ambrosius Whisky Club
Age: 10 years old (March 2002 - August 2012)
Maturation: ???
Cask number: 20102
Outturn: 116 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 60.7%
(from a purchased sample)

NOTES

The nose takes a while to wake up. The phenolics register first: machine shop, mild coastal peat and next-day joint ash. Confectioner's sugar, angel food cake and a hint of vanilla appear later. We get even closer to the spirit, once the abv is dropped to 46%, with oats, shredded wheat, mild peat and smoked salmon.

Closer to new make here on the palate. It starts with pears, grass, grassy peat and a tiny bit of sweetness. It's plenty tart (lots of limes), and gains a salty coastal note with time. Sweet apples, green grapes and mint appear at 46%abv. The grassy, leafy peat note builds gradually.

It finishes sweet, tart and mildly peaty, becoming more metallic and briny in later sips. Sweet pears, tart apples and salty peat arrive when the whisky is diluted to 46%abv.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Unless surprises await later on down the cluster, this 2002 will be the closest I'll ever get to trying Bowmore's new make. So I like it much more than did the Whiskybase members. Unlike so many current single-digit-age single malts, this is a whisky I'd actually want to consume semi-regularly. One could enjoy it at the beach, in the forest, in the shower -- he says, pretending like he drinks anywhere other than on The Whisky Chair. The whisky color told the truth, and Rattray didn't screw this one up.

Availability - ???
Pricing - ???
Rating - 85

Friday, November 19, 2021

Bowmore The Devil's Casks, Release III

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

My memories of pre-parenthood life are either slippery, fading or false, but I remember very clearly the release of the first batch of The Devil's Casks back in 2013. All the bloggers were rushing to review it, and I was in my #SherrySux phase. That had to have been the first and last time a non-ancient official Bowmore release lit up whisky geekdom.

Both Release I and II came from first-fill unspecified sherry casks, and were 10 years old. The second batch didn't receive as much digital ink in 2014 but it did sell through swiftly. Release III arrived right in the middle of the NAS Age, in 2015. Though it did indeed drop its age statement, it gained this description on its label, "A marriage of first fill Oloroso & Pedro Ximénez sherry casks."

Though I exited my #SherrySux phase more than a half decade ago, I have never tried any of the Devil's Casks releases until right now. So I enter this experience with a comfy lack of perspective.

I filtered the devil out of (or into) this pic

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Series: The Devil's Casks
Age: probably less than 10 years old
Maturation: first fill Oloroso & Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
Release: III (2015)
Outturn: "Limited"
Alcohol by Volume: 56.7%
Chillfiltered? No
Caramel Colorant? Maybe
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose wallops. First up: seaweed, tar, burnt plastic and cherry jam. Then orange oil, black licorice and a whiff of steel wool. All those elements feel well-married once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv, possibly even better than at full strength, at first. Gradually the smoke recedes and the sugary notes — now bolstered by honey — move forward.

The palate begins with lots of heat, wood smoke, raisins and cassis. Burlap and charcoal appear by the third sip, followed by a ripple of cayenne pepper. It gets earthier with time. At 46%abv, the smoke moves to the fore, unlike the nose. A bit of an industrial note shows up too. There's also more bitterness, which is partially cask driven, but it kind of works with the overall violence.

It finishes very peppery (think pink peppercorns and cayenne), with a mix of coal smoke and cassis. Some mint leaf and bitterness, too. Eventually it's all smoke. The peat and casks get dirtier when the whisky's at 46%abv. Maybe a bit of orange zest around the edges.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Bowmore went for power over nuance here. Subtlety and complexity have been traded in for BOOM. In fact this could have been an interesting competitor to contemporary Ardbeg Uigeadail, had Bowmore made this an annual release.

But there was no Release IV, which is kind of a shame. Yeah, the distillery released an "Inspired by the Devil’s Casks" thingamabob for a couple of years, but that was diluted. A regular thunderous sherry cask release would have only helped their official range. Extra-dark cask-driven whiskies are all the rage with the newbs nowadays (or always?), so The Devil's Casks would continue to separate people from their money. Plus Bowmore had the sexy name all queued up.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - no, you really don't want to know
Rating - 86

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Bowmore 17 year old (bottled ~2007)

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

2007 appears to have been the end of the road for Bowmore's official 17 year old, as it was replaced by the 18yo that same year. The 17yo seems to have had broad batch variation, with Serge giving the 1995 a score of 84, and the 2000 edition a 65. The LAWS dudes rated it everywhere from F to B+. Could the Hatey Eighties be the culprit?

With this particular bottling, with the then-new label style, likely occurring in early 2007, there may be plenty of '80s spirit in the bottle. But using The Maths, I calculate 1990 being present in the mix. I've found neither soap nor perfume in the 1990 Bowmores I've tried. So perhaps it'll be better than yesterday's 1982?

Distillery: Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Age: at least 17 years
Maturation: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
Chillfiltered? Yes
Caramel Colorant? Yes, it is very orange
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose ping-pongs all over the place. Charred beef, Worcestershire sauce, roses, weed, white chocolate, brown butter, and a hell of an alcohol burn for 43%abv. It does pick up a cleaner coastal / seaweed note after 45 minutes.

The palate is......Ash and violet liqueur. Apple cider vinegar, lemon candy and notebook paper. At the same time the nose improves, the palate descends into chemicals, metals and burnt hair.

It finishes even ashier than the palate. The vinegar note is more generic white than apple cider. If the bitter metallic foreground and saccharine midground weren't bad enough, there's some dish detergent in the background.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Was this just the dregs in the bottom of the 17yo vat? I can't picture any blender with tastebuds saying, "Yeah that's exactly what we're going for," after sipping this stuff. There's no through line, no cohesion, no thought in the whisky. It's just a variety of reject casks dumped into a dirty bin, and suck siphoned into bottles that were laying around, because money. I hope this is the worst of the cluster.

Availability - No
Pricing - No
Rating - 67

Monday, November 15, 2021

The Bowmore Cluster

Welcome to the final cluster of 2021! Before you get all excited by the prospect of me drinking 1960s Bowmore, I will not be drinking 1960s Bowmore. Or even 1970s Bowmore. Instead, this grouping will mostly contain post-1990 Bowmore distillate. Not only is this era more relevant to the whisky world, but it's all I have!

Bowmore was the most-reviewed single malt on this site during my first three years of whisky posts. At the time, their West Coast distributor rep was (and still is) a great fellow to chat and drink with. He held lots of local events and I probably attended them all. The single malt scene was much more fun in those days, and the whisky was cheaper! So even if an event's distillery wasn't my favorite, I went anyway. (Psst, I even went to one official Macallan event. But don't tell anyone.)

Official Bowmore was my gateway to independent Bowmore. But once I went indie Bow, I never went back. The gap in quality and style between Bowmore's official and independent releases is wider than any other distillery, in my experience. Official Bowmore is filtered, colored and aggressively diluted, resulting in a thin, light Islay whisky. There are many ways to produce a flavorful peated single malt without turning it into "Laphroaig" or "Ardbeg", but Bowmore distillery and its various master distillers/blenders have chosen not to do so, which is something I do not understand.

from Barnard's The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom

Only five of this cluster's 19 whiskies will be official bottlings. The rest are from independent companies. The first three Bowmores are a little out of place from the rest of the group, which is why I'm squeezing them into this first week. After that, I'll start with 2002 distillate and then move backwards until reaching 1991. I'll try to keep track of the various styles I come across to see what, if anything, ties the whiskies together.

So get comfy, I'm about to drink a lot of Bowmores. You're always welcome to do the same, responsibly!

THE BOWMORES:

1. Bowmore 21 year old 1982 Prime Malt Selection - A nice lack of oak, but soapy.
2. Bowmore 17 year old, bottled around 2007 - "...no through line, no cohesion, no thought......just a variety of reject casks dumped into a dirty bin..."
3. Bowmore The Devil's Casks, Release III - "Subtlety and complexity have been traded in for BOOM."
4. Bowmore 10 year old 2002 AD Rattray, cask 20102 - "...the closest I'll ever get to trying Bowmore's new make."
5. Bowmore 11 year old 2001 Maltbarn, No. 09 - "...sherry cask had very little influence on the whisky, which works in its favor, letting the Bowmore goodness thrive."
6. Bowmore 14 year old 2001 Hepburn's Choice for K&L - "Another very good 2001 Bowmore......improves significantly with air and dilution."
7. Bowmore 15 year old 2001 Old Particular, cask DL 11658 for K&L - "...reads about half its age......This is merely, "yeah it's good for a couple drinks.""
8. Bowmore 18 year old Manzanilla Cask, The Vintner's Trilogy - "...it may be the least peaty Bowmore I've ever tried......a bit too sweet for my lips..."
9. Bowmore 15 year old, Feis Ile 2012 - This whisky stole my  🖤.
10. Bowmore 18 year old, Feis Ile 2020 - "...the casks in the 2020 bottling were much more active than those in the 2012. So it goes. Dilution helps this whisky out."

Halfway through the Bowmore Cluster

11. Bowmore 13 year old 1998 Asta Morris, cask AM003 - "If all young Islay single casks tasted like this I would be damned broke right now."
12. Bowmore 20 year old 1997 Old Particular, cask DL 12122 for K&L - "A good mezcal at the beach......the nose far outpaces the palate......dilution helps."
13. Bowmore 21 year old 1997 Douglas Laing Private Stock - "Every part of this whisky is in tune, nothing overwhelms. All peace, no violence."
14. Bowmore 19 year 1996 AD Rattray, cask 960059 - "...a very crisp and solid pour, offering a great demonstration of 19 years in a lazy cask."
15. Bowmore 22 year old 1996 Old Malt Cask 20th Anniversary, cask HL 17091 - "The damned thing was bottled around my 40th birthday and I didn't buy it. Cheers to those who did."
16. Bowmore 22 year old 1996 Old Malt Cask, cask 15354 for K&L - "Psst, I'm fucking fabulous. Cheer up, old man."
17. Bowmore 25 year old 1994 Adelphi, cask 554 - "...get out your pipette, eyedropper, or turkey baster and have at it."
18. Bowmore 16 year old 1993 The Perfect Dram - "Another great lazy cask lets the coastal spirit shine."
19. Bowmore 17 year old 1991 AD Rattray, cask 2059 - "The nose's soap and the palate's generic sherry cask notes held this one back."

Cluster conclusion

Bowmore 21 year old 1982 Prime Malt Selection (re-review)

(Bowmore cluster homepage)

As mentioned in the Bowmore cluster introduction, the group's first three whiskies don't quite fit in with the rest of the theme. Batting leadoff...

I first reviewed today's whisky eight(!) years ago. Looking at those notes, I can't help but feel like I was being exceedingly kind about a flawed whisky. This whisky was distilled during Bowmore's most problematic decade, a period about which a certain epithet has been often assigned. It's time to find out if soap or perfume (or both!) live in this bottle, or perhaps just whisky.


Distillery:
 Bowmore
Owner: Beam Suntory
Region: Islay
Independent Bottler: Duncan Taylor
Range: Prime Malt Selection
Age: at least 21 years (1982 - ????)
Maturation: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

It has a bright, colorful nose, with citronella, cucumber, and fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. One can also find pine sap and a peated white chocolate. And, yes, there is plenty of Dove soap to go around.

The palate is (per my written notes), "sweet, bitter, peaty, weird and vaguely fruity" at first. The peat gets sootier and the fruit becomes tarter with time. There are some hints of butterscotch in the background. But there's so much detergent in the mix, and it doesn't fade away after an hour. Though violets start to grow.

The finish matches the palate for the most part, with more focus on bitterness and tartness. It gets sweeter with time, and the soap note becomes slightly less intense.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I can take lavender and violets in my whisky. Maybe even a shpritz of gaudy perfume. But I do not enjoy soap in my mouth. I am not a bad boy. Today. And this whisky has soap. I avoided adding water because my more upbeat review from 2013 says this stuff gets "sudsy" when diluted. That is not a sign of a successfully-produced spirit.

Though the nose is not a "top 20" as it was back in 2013, and isn't even a Top 200, it is unique and very enjoyable. With its palate's bitterness leaning towards the herbal side, the whisky shows a nice lack of oak. Having a bunch of tannins collide with dish detergent would not have helped matters. Still, I don't need to try this a third time.

Availability - ???
Pricing - ???
Rating - 76 (neat only)

Friday, November 12, 2021

Old Overholt 4 year old Rye, bottled in 1978

Overwhelmed, insomniac, sitting up in bed, I quickly wrote a non-whisky blog post about my emotional state, 369 days ago. Circumstances have since changed, and not entirely for the better. Goodness glimmers up ahead, but conflict continues to spread out of the dark towards the light like a mutating black mold.

This past August, my local friends — who know a little bit about said circumstances — surprised me with all sorts of gifts during an armagnac tasting event the day before my birthday. They'd raided the Tensuke Market shelves, filling a bag with sweets and savories, bought a Japanese cheesecake, and presented me with French elixirs. To this day I remain humbled nearly to tears about it.

I would have reviewed the Japanese goodies but my daughters and I have consumed all the wonderful individually wrapped treats. But there was a specific 2oz sample of something, gifted by one Secret Agent Man, about which I can opine.

Before Jim Beam swallowed up the National Distillers brands in 1987, Old Overholt rye was still being distilled in Pennsylvania, though its actual source remains foggy. I have greatly enjoyed three of National Distillers's other Olds (Taylor, Crow, Grand Dad) — in fact, if I had any S-W bourbon I would gladly swap it for ND — but I don't think I'd ever tried their Overholt. I, the rye fan, had only had Beam's Old Overcoat. Until now.

My sample of 1978-bottled O.O. had a desperate sparring partner in a diluted pour 2020 Ohio edition of O.O. 114 Proof. And by "desperate" I mean that the bottle has been open for more than seven months and I just cannot finish the damned thing. Both whiskies were labelled four years old, and I dropped the 2020's strength down to meet that of the 1978, at 43%abv. Here's how that played out:



Old Overholt 4 year old 114 Proof, 2020 Ohio Edition, distilled in KY, diluted to 43%abv

Nose - Cherry lozenges and lemon zest. A little bit of clementine juice and fennel seeds. Intense barrel char and a splash of turpentine. Overall, it's better than I'd expected and remembered.

Palate - Much less there there. Mint and menthol. Tangy lime candy and tree bark. Ethyl and something leafy.

Finish - Fades fast. Woody and peppery, with a hint of limes.

Sorry to steal Randy Brandy's format here. I'm sure he'll forgive me. Right? Anyway, this rye began decently, but gradually descended though the finish, its weak point. Still, I'll bump up the score one whole point.

Rating - 79



Old Overholt 4 year old, bottled in 1978 by National Distillers, distilled in PA, 43%abv

Nose - So much bigger than one would expect from 43%abv. It is waxy with swirls of dried apricot and dried sweet potato. Pound cake and cold car engine. Snuffed candle and a hint of MGP-style pickle brine.

Palate - A balance of savory herbs and perky baking spices. Toss in a dash of salt, fresh French bread crust and a whiff of sandalwood. Not even a hint of sugar.

Finish - Very long and very spicy. Smoked paprika, lemon pepper, olive oil, salt and sandalwood.

It's not sweet, it's not oaky and it's not raw. I'm not saying the American whiskey industry broke the National Distillers moulds. I'm tellin' you — to quote Dead Man — they killed 'em, fucked 'em, cooked 'em up and ate 'em. This is stellar whiskey. It is of the stars. Thank you, Secret Agent Man, for the opportunity to drink this gem.

Rating - 91