Bowmore 15 Year

Review #024 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 43% Comments: aged 15 years, ex-bourbon maturation and finished for three years in oloroso sherry casks Tasted after: Bowmore 12 Year Appearance (no score): Auburn color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs form quickly. Nose: 17/20 Oranges, raisins, apricots, vanilla, and a hint of cedar layered in also. Palate: 34/40 Comes out swinging with bold baking spices and black pepper to start, quickly fades to a fruity sweetness of plumbs and black currents, maybe some dark chocolate also. The smoke is subtle and ever present in the background throughout. Finish: 34/40 Nice long finish. It commences with a second round of spiciness, different though and more akin to oak spice, maybe ginger also. A prevailing ashiness morphs into chalk and then to salty campfire smoke. With Water: A drop of water really dials back all the spice flavors I tasted, it helps the sweet fruitiness shine through but makes it a little too one-dimensional. Total: 85/100 Final thoughts: Big jump in complexity over the 12 year, but it’s a shame that it’s chill filtered and artificially colored. I imagine this could be fantastic at a slightly higher proof and with all the natural oils intact. Price: taste from a friend’s bottle Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Nose: Starting off, it’s got a gentle peat presence, with mild smoke and an inviting mix of burnt butter and burnt sugar. There are delicious hints of chocolate malt biscuits and roasted nuts—think peanuts and walnuts. Give it another sniff, and you'll get more peat and that unmistakable hospital antiseptic and cigar scent. Adding water brings out slight floral notes, reminiscent of heather. Palate: This whisky’s got a slightly ashy character with dried fruits like figs and apricots mingling with rich chocolate from the oloroso sherry cask. It’s beautifully balanced, with a touch of sweetness and saltiness, a bit of brininess, and a nice hint of salted caramel. There’s a little vanilla and slight oak spiciness that feels just right. The sea salt and brine really bring everything together. Finish: Medium to long, with cigar smoke, leather, and salted caramel lingering on the sides of the tongue. There's a slight spice from the oak, and while I don’t smoke, it feels like having a bite of chocolate after a puff of a cigar. Overall: This Islay single malt is a real gem. It’s not overly peaty, which makes for a lovely, smoky experience. It paints a picture of enjoying chocolate and roasted nuts in an old library or near a cozy fire pit. Would’ve been fantastic if it was 46% ABV and unchill filtered, but it’s a great casual whisky nonetheless.

The nose is skillfully peated, not the typical Islay assault to the senses but rather a milder, cleaner and cooler peat that subtly entices. I pick up briny sea air first, followed by cool mentholated smoke, a touch of spicy cedar wood incense, and just a hint of ripe honey papaya, pistachio, and sweet dried pomegranate, mango, and coconut. Given time to breathe, caramel develops as well as vanilla, black licorice, plumped raisins, date paste, and a chocolatey note emerges. To the palate it starts out quite spicy, even peppery. Sweet stewed fruit follows with notes of plum and mulberry in dark treacle. Then, amidst the spice and toffee sweetness, pale vegetal smoke graces the tongue, earthy and medicinal but not overpowering. There’s also some citrus in the form of Ruby grapefruit and blood orange. A bit thin in the mouth, and few legs. The whisky falls quickly in the glass like streaks of lightning, leaving behind a broken mist and uneven arches. The medium-long finish is semidry with plenty of lightly charred oak. Ashy peat, a chalky minerality, lingering spice in the form of stale cinnamon, spent spearmint gum, and more cedar hangs on for a spell. Stands up to a little water, but I wish it were non-chill filtered. Nose: 10 Taste: 10 Body: 7 Finish: 8

Thick treacly legs. An extremely malty, bready nose. Orange zest in a toasted barley bread. Gives a surprising vegetal note and is persistently tingly to the nostrils, like a Scotchy Ancho Reyes. Some floral notes and fresh sugarcane. The palate holds true to the nose. A biscuity chocolate orange - sweet and bready with a touch of salt. Dried baking ginger and a refined ashiness persists throughout. Is that watermelon? Ashy watermelon? A first in my whisky tasting experience. I have enjoyed this one - toasted, bready dessert with smokey richness that provides both heft and balance. While I like the 12 year , it’s possible that the stock selected for this gives a less cigarette-ash experience, so it feels a bit more refined. Would drink again, but only if I could find it below typical retail - say

My 69th review. Nice. Customary Bowmore peat comes first on the nose, followed by dark fruits, prunes and raisins. You definitely smell the sherry influences. Starts sweet with a slightly oily mouthfeel, but gets dryer as you go. The peat is fairly muted and is balanced with other flavours. Dark honey, red wine, black pepper. There's a lot going on here but it works. The finish is lengthy and slightly hot. Quite dry and spicy. Definitely more complex than the 12 year, but takes a little getting used to. It's dark and mysterious like the Count of Monte Cristo. Which makes me think it would probably be a perfect accompaniment for a Montecristo cigar.

Septembre 2023 - Robe abricot avec quelques reflets ambrés. Volutes d'alcool et de tourbe. Pimentée en première bouche. Un whisky avec du coffre, qui prend le palais d'assaut et réchauffe la gorge et les cœurs. Une belle saveur de tourbe en deuxième bouche avant de terminer sur quelques notes pimentée en 3ème bouche Whisky d'homme, fort en bouche. Je ne décèle pas de saveurs fumées. Dégusté à domicile. En souvenir de mes compagnons d'Édimbourg, de nos soirées de poker resplendissantes et de nos parties de chasses endiablées. Merci pour ces souvenirs...