Bowmore 12 Year Old Sherry Finish Limited Edition

Neck pour, neat, let sit for about 15 minutes before sampling. Warmed the glass from hand heat a bit too. Nose: so subtle. Leather and sweet, an oaky/woody/sweet aroma like sawing apple/cherry wood, some toasted malt there too. Palatte: very light again, no alcohol bite, very smooth, that apple element persists it feels like a lot of flavours are just out of reach from obtaining, really curious if flavours will be emboldened in 4 or so weeks. Maybe a berry sweetness making a late appearance. Finish: so smooth. This is one you might not realize how much you’ve had until you stand up. This is where the smoke shows up, atypical for an Islay that smoke is so late to the party. The sweet steps into the shadows and the smoke takes the limelight, but there is a baked apple of pie or crumble remnant peeking through. Blind tasting I’d never have guessed this was an Islay whisky, very different from most bottles on that island. Having had multiple Sherry cask finishes, this was surprisingly light on those notes, again, neck pour so will a later sample produce different results, will update later.

NOSE: Sweet and fruity with notes of marmalade, stewed prunes, tangerine and blood orange zest, but also caramel and toffee , a touch of thyme , dried mint, Islay moss and a subtle peat background. TASTE: The taste is first sweet with salted toffee, gingerbread spices, almond and marzipan toasted bread but also bitter orange zest, dried eucalyptus and a combination of lighted peated and sherry character. FINISH: Sweet, with heather honey against a backcloth of medicinal herbal notes.