Bowmore 34 Year (1971)

Review by: zSolaris

Distillery: Bowmore

Region: Islay

Age: 34. Distilled in 1971.

Cask Type: Sherry

ABV: 51.00%

Price: Pour courtesy of /u/KissMeElon, bottle originally from Dundee Dell in Omaha, NE which has sadly since closed.

Color: 1.7, Burnt Umber.

Nose: Both this, and the 1969 Bowmore pictured next to it, have this incredibly lovely note that neither /u/KissMeElon or I could quite figure out. It’s slightly musty, but also full of rich fruity flavor. The note is less pronounced on this than the other Bowmore but it is absolutely divine and I didn’t want to move my nose on to other things. The closest things I can think of are Ribena/blackcurrant drink and a bit of ice wine with a side of funk and must. Mixed aromatic herbs wrap this up.

Palate: It is very sherry forward, though I suppose 34 years in a sherry cask would do that. It isn’t sweet, but carries more of the deep and tangier notes of sherry. Oak does come through significantly to keep things in balance. Menthol and some other aromatics wrap things up with a touch of blackcurrant jam.

Finish: Fantastically long. More oak and more sherry. There’s some sweet cigar smoke towards the very end.

Conclusion: /u/KissMeElon graciously shared a few of his bottles from the old Dundee Dell (a dive bar originally ran by a scotch enthusiast that has since closed and due to reopen under new owners) in Omaha. This Bowmore was one of two we tasted. The nose on this, despite paling in comparison to it’s older brother, was absolutely phenomenal. I don’t know if it is a byproduct of that era of Bowmore, a result of the bar it was in, or a combination of the two, but that musty-funky-fruity combination just hits all of the right notes for me. The rest of the whisky was quite nice as well–very sherry-centric with some fruit, menthol, and tobacco to keep things interesting–but the nose is what really makes this special.

Final Score: 87.

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.

Published by zSolaris

Unknown's avatar

Home is where the corn is! Or at least that's what I told the wife before moving her from sunny Southern California to the Midwest anyway. She doesn't share my love of scotch, the drink, but has been incredibly supportive of my little wander down the rabbit hole. We do both share a love of Scotch, our dog, though (she named him, I swear!). He's the cutie in the profile pic.

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