Bowmore 22yo 2004/2026 (bottled for Bar Lotus)

Bowmore 22yo 2004/2026 (bottled for Bar Lotus)

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Islay
Golden
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, nori, soot, malted grains, golden syrup, sea salt, hints of cough syrup. With water, lemon zest, smoke, malted grains, hints of nori. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, thickens. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Golden syrup, nori, orange peel, lemon zest, smoke, peat, sea salt, hints of cough syrup, hints of toast. With water, smoke, lemon zest, orange peel, golden syrup, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Short. Golden syrup, orange peel, sea salt, smoke, hints of nori. 

Comments: 

A very decent Bowmore, sweet and smoky, with plenty of salinity to balance it. Great pick for this bar, one of the best in London. Plenty of smokiness too, once water is added.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bowmore 1992

Bowmore 1992

Caledonian Selection, Liquid Gold
Single malt - Islay
Bright gold
62% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, pineapples, lemon sweets, autumn leaves, burning leaves, hints of charcoal ash. With water, burning leaves, pear drops, pineapples, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, thick, hot. 

Tasting:  Sour sweet. Pineapples, pear drops, lemon sweets, smoke, charcoal ash, peat, tarry rope. With water, peat, charcoal ash, lemon sweets, hints of peanuts. 
Finish: Long. Honey, smoke, pineapples, pears, peat. 

Comments: 

Smoked barbecued fruit, something I always find in 90s and 00s Bowmore. Lots of ashy smoke too, like it’s been left on the barbecue too long. Water brings out more ashiness. A perfect Burns Night dram. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bowmore 7yo

Bowmore 7yo

Living Souls
Single malt - Islay
Golden
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, lemon zest, lemon juice, meringues, tobacco leaf, peat, soot, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon zest, smoke, lemon sweets, peat, tobacco leaf, vanilla, shortcrust pastry. 
Finish: Medium. Tobacco leaf, peat, smoke, soot, shortcrust pastry, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

A light, quite refreshing Bowmore, with restrained fruit and a lot of smoke. There are adore lemon sweets than pineapples, and a little pastry especially on the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bowmore 26yo 1997/2023

Bowmore 26yo 1997/2023

Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Islay
Dark amber
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roast beef, roast, raisins, matches, coffee, honey, hints of white paper. With water, honey, leather, matches, smoked bacon. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, honey, salt caramel, apple sauce, coffee, toast, tarry rope, peat. With water, coffee, raisins, smoke, tarry rope, matches. 
Finish: Medium. Matches, coffee, white pepper, tarry rope. 

Comments: 

Cask 2410. Quite lovely, although rather expensive. Good Bowmore is clearly in demand. It’s got a lovely gentle smoky, meaty blanket of flavour, punctuated by pinpricks of sulphur and phosphorus. There’s an undertone of tar that is also very well integrated. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bowmore 25yo 1994/2019

Bowmore 25yo 1994/2019

Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Islay 
Amber, hints of red
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butterscotch, tobacco leaf, leather, pomeloes, peat, raisins, hints of smoke. With water, raisins, butter, caramel, orange juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Tobacco leaf, raisins, peanuts, pear drops, butterscotch, leather, peat, hints of smoke. With water, butter, caramel, orange juice, hints of chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, peat, orange juice, caramel, butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Cask 554. An enjoyable old Bowmore, but one with gentle peat (even gentler than regular Bowmore). The fruity notes shine, alongside a hefty helping of butterscotch. It’s quite sweet, and works very well. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bowmore 26yo 1991/2017 The Chairman's Legacy

Bowmore 26yo 1991/2017 The Chairman's Legacy

Bequest, Carn Mor
Single malt - Islay
Golden
42.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, chocolate, lemon juice, dulce de leche, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Fresh cut grass, lemon juice, peat, smoke, orange juice, hints of lemon zest. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, lemon juice, orange juice, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

A special Bowmore, bottled by Carn Mor to mark the retirement of the chairman of Morrison & Mackay. It's got a deceptive nose that's closer to the 'classic' Bowmore - sweet and chocolatey, underneath all that smoke. On the tongue and the finish, it's citrusy and herbal. Very good stuff indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Bowmore 23 yo 1989 Port Matured

Bowmore 23 yo 1989 Port Matured

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Amber, tinge of red
50.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, leather, peat, red grapes, mint, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toast, lemons, vanilla, peat, honey, hints of red grapes. 
Finish: Short. Cookie dough, leather, peat, toast. 

Comments: 

This is floral, even delicate, not something you could normally write about an Islay whisky. The port maturing has not added very many winey flavours, instead the whisky is smooth, aromatic and gentle. Scarily drinkable. I could quaff a mug!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 3.243 (Bowmore 17 yo 1997/2015)

SMWS 3.243 (Bowmore 17 yo 1997/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Chinese tea
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, chocolate, grilled pork, dates, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, hints of coffee. With water, prunes, more balsamic vinegar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens slightly, airy, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Smoke, sherry, dates, chocolate, grilled pork, cloves. With water, tart, lemon zest, plums. 
Finish: Long. Cloves, coffee, maple syrup, butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Oooh. Lovely smoky sherried Islay whisky. This is so meaty yet bittersweet (loads of dark chocolate coming through). Many many bitter notes - maple syrup, dates, coffee - yet with a tart edge underlying all that. The tart edge is more pronounced with water. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Bowmore 15 yo Laimrig

Bowmore 15 yo Laimrig

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Teak
51.4% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Smoke, dark chocolate, black tea, orange peel, laver bread, raisins, hints of peat. With water, sweeter, strawberries, cream, tobacco leaf.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, slippery, chewy.
Tasting: Bitter salty. Dark chocolate, cookie dough, black tea, laver bread, raisins, orange juice, hints of smoke. With water, saltier, tobacco leaf, hints of strawberries.
Finish: Long. Vanilla, orange juice, cookie dough, dark chocolate.

Comments:

A parting gift from some old colleagues. Not a typical Bowmore, this one has been finished off and mellowed somewhat in Spanish oloroso sherry casks. Nevertheless the peat and smoke are there, along with some savoury, saline notes that remind me of Welsh laver bread. It's good, this stuff, but I think I prefer the classic Islay style. If Islay whiskies don't do Islay, who will?

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 3.198 (Bowmore 14 yo 1997/2012)

SMWS 3.198 (Bowmore 14 yo 1997/2012)

2012, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Copper brown
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke,honey, chocolate, mint, rhubarb and custard. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, expands. 
Tasting: Sweet. Tarry, woodsmoke, chocolate, strawberries, honey. 
Finish: Short. Smoky, seaweed, mint. 

Comments: 

Surprisingly sweet. This is one of those rare Islays where the smokiness is an accent to the flavours, rather than the other way around. Nice hints of seaweed (and wet stones? Hard to tell) at the end.

Verdict:

 I like this.

Bowmore Claret

Bowmore Claret

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Deep red brown
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, leather, lavender, red grapes, lemons, hints of hazelnuts. With water, pears, sea salt appear.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, expands, loosens, turns watery.
Tasting: Sweet. Peat, soap, red grapes, leather, lavender, orange peel, peanuts, hints of smoke. With water, turns salty, peanuts, leather, peat, sea salt appear.
Finish: Long. Lemons, lavender, soap, red grapes, peat.

Comments:

Quite soapy and floral neat (perhaps slightly unpleasant even). But with water, the whisky turns salty, opening up with classic Islay notes - salt, peat, leather, and even peanuts. I guess the claret finish adds a slightly jarring cast to the whisky, but this is quickly and easily remedied. Too much tinkering perhaps?

Verdict:

I like this.

Bowmore Darkest NAS

Bowmore Darkest NAS

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark tea
43% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Peat, smoke, sherry, raisins, dried cherries, apricots, black tea, hints of ginger.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, cool.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Raisins, dried cherries, apricots, lemons, sherry, grass, peat, smoke, hints of ginger, hints of cinnamon.
Finish: Long. Sweet, red wine, grass, lemons, apricots.

Comments:

This is the old version of Bowmore Darkest. The new one is a 15 yo version released in January 2007. The sweet notes seem to form an impenetrable layer over the smoke and peat. Not as well integrated as other sherried peaty whiskies. I wonder if the newer version is better?

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 3.142 (Bowmore 18 yo 1990/2008)

SMWS 3.142 (Bowmore 18 yo 1990/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
58.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Grilled meat, smoke, peat, marmite, carbolic soap, soy sauce, hints of toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, thickens.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Smoke, peat, peanut butter, soy sauce, marmite, grilled meat, caramel, hints of garlic.
Finish: Long. Chillies, peat, soy sauce, black pepper.

Comments:

Interesting, slightly harsh and abrasive Bowmore. I like the notes of marmite and carbolic soap, one of those "madness or genius" combinations (although carbolic soap is poisonous, no?). Lots of soy sauce, grilled meat and black pepper too - very barbecuey.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 3.136 (Bowmore 10 yo 1998/2008)

SMWS 3.136 (Bowmore 10 yo 1998/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Amber
58.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, sherry, roast chicken, soy sauce, hints of white grape.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Roast chicken, fried onion, orange peel, lemon sweets, caramel, smoke, hints of peat.
Finish: Medium. Peat, orange peel, caramel.

Comments:

Very savoury and sweet, just the way I like my whisky. Soy sauce, fried onion and roast chicken reminds me of roast chicken rice (it's been ages since I've had that). Quite fruity too, wreathed in caramelised sugar and sweet smoke.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Bowmore 17 yo

Bowmore 17 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, peanuts, leather, tyre rubber, peat, hints of smoke, hints of steamed fish.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, slightly gritty.
Tasting: Sour. Peat, tyre rubber, grapefruit, lemons, butter, new plastic, hints of black tea, hints of sherry.
Finish: Long. New plastic, leather.

Comments:

This Bowmore has been discontinued and replaced with a new range, so this is something of a last chance to taste it. Quite a chemical nose, with an interesting fishy hint somewhere. Also very chemical in the mouth, with some slight whiffs of sherry relieving it. Decent whisky, but difficult to get to know I suppose.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Bowmore 12 yo

Bowmore 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Amber
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Smoke, cream, vanilla, honey, lemon, cod liver oil, salted fish.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, silky, smooth, thick, rollable around the mouth.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Bread, milk, honey, peat smoke, hint of chocolate, hint of new plastic.
Finish: Long. Subtle peat, preserved mango, orange peel, fades quickly but lingers.

Comments:

Great mouthfeel, quite perfumed and pleasant. Great marriage of peat and sweet stuff. Could do with a higher ABV, and with longer ageing could be even more tasty. Not too aggressive here, the smoke is quite mellow, even at this youngish age.

Verdict:

I like this.