Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Bowmore.
Bottler: Signatory Vintage.
Region: Scotland/Islay Single Malt.
ABV: 55.6%. Cask Strength.
Age: 15 Years. Distilled on 10 Feb. 2001. Bottled on 23 Aug. 2017.
Cask type: Hogshead.
Nose: Burning gingerbread and creosote touched down with lemon drops and medicinal herbs; a kiss of salt with subtle fruit punch as overripe tropical fruits hid in the background with woody antiques and a touch of parma violets.
Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, fruit punch and lemon drop candies on hot pavement, creosote and tar, burning sagebrush and dirty shop rags; more subtle notions of lacquered wood, olive oil, and orange rind.
Finish: Medium-length, peppery with a kiss of salt and fruit punch candies.
Mental Image: Parking Lot Flavored Candies.
Conclusion: Another blind sample from a good friend! The whisky featured lovely fruity, herbal, medicinal, and road construction notes on the aroma. A bit of peppery spirit ran through the nose, palate, and finish— never overpowering and providing something of a through-line for the experience with a subtle fruit punch. On the palate a more clear structure emerged with fruits upfront, road work in the middle, and then more subtle industrial or wood notes on the back with burning sagebrush.
The flavors were familiar; the aroma had me thinking Ledaig or Laphroaig, while the palate left me thinking Laphroaig or Bowmore. The last mystery I tasted was a Bowmore, so it would be in keeping to have two curveballs in a row. Still, everything said Laphroaig, and so I guessed this was a young-ish Laphroaig.
I should have gone with my gut. It turned out this was indeed a Bowmore! It was certainly dirtier and more acrid than most of the Bowmore I have had lately, but knowing what it was, I could pull out more of the familiar fruits and subtle beachy florals—though nothing so obvious as the 2004 SMWS lot. Lovely stuff—the kind of whisky that leaves one wondering why Bowmore’s core range is not better.
Final Score: 82.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 