Bowmore Darkest 15 Year

I took the 5 cl. Bowmore tasting kit with 12, 15 Darkest and 18 year old. Here below classification and considerations: 1. Bowmore 12 yo The youngest is also the best ..... On the nose, caramel and honey, with a slight pleasant peat. The positive impression of the sense of smell is lost a little on the palate, where a slightly consistent, light whisky emerges, with notes of honey, sweet smoking with maple, light peat and tobacco. Short and light finish, where the smoking disappears almost entirely to make room for the sweetish. 2. Bowmore 18 yo I like the smell, with its characteristic smell of burnt rubber, brackish, peat. In short, a real "hard and pure" Islay. Here too the positive olfactory impression leaves room for little consistency: an impression of a lot of liquidity, almost watery, compared to same or younger age whiskies. Notes of orange, honey and chocolate. Tobacco finish, brackish. Nothing unforgettable. 3. Bowmore 15 yo Darkest I had high expectations for this finished in sherry, but they were completely disappointed .... This time the proportions are reversed: weak in the nose, where fresh wood prevails, with light sherry and cigarette, but really inconsistent. A little better, but not too much, in the mouth, where it seems to chew a tree branch drenched in an orange juice. Light finish, very tannin, bitterish, almost as if it were finished in wine .... In conclusion: I am a little disappointed .... _____________________________________________________________________________ Ho preso il kit degustazione della Bowmore con 12, 15 Darkest e 18 anni da 5cl. Qui di seguito classifica e considerazioni: 1. Bowmore 12 yo Il più giovane è anche il migliore..... Al naso caramello e miele, con leggera torbatura molto piacevole. L'impressione positiva dell'olfatto si perde un po' al palato, dove emerge un whisky poco consistente, leggero, con note di miele, affumicatura dolce con acero, torba leggera e tabacco. Finale corto e leggero, dove l'affumicatura sparisce quasi del tutto per lasciare spazio al dolciastro. 2. Bowmore 18 yo Mi piace all'olfatto, con il suo caratteristico odore di gomma bruciata, salmastro, torba. Insomma un vero Islay "duro e puro". Anche qui la positiva impressione olfattiva lascia spazio a poca consistenza: impressione di molta liquidità, quasi acquosa, rispetto a suoi colleghi di età. Si sentono note di arancia, miele, cioccolata. Finale di tabacco, salmastro. Nulla di indimenticabile. 3. Bowmore 15 yo Darkest Avevo grandi aspettative per questo finito in sherry, ma sono andate completamente deluse.... Questa volta le proporzioni si invertono: debole al naso, dove prevale il legno fresco, con leggero sherry e sigaretta, ma davvero inconsistente. Un po' meglio, ma non troppo, in bocca, dove sembra di masticare un ramo di albero inzuppato in una spremuta di arancia. Finale leggero, molto tanninico, amarognolo, quasi fosse finito nel vino.... In conclusione: sono un po' deluso....

Another delayed review that’s been sitting in my draft folder for a while. Since we’re all social-distancing and self-quarantining [no thanks to COVID-19], what better time to revisit and “dust off” some of my drafts for the Distiller community. THE BACKDROP: Late August 2019 at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa for a conference. Initially planned to extend my stay to max out a company-funded trip. My gf was flying in to meet up and explore Miami with me. All was good with the world. THEN...hurricane Dorian decided to crash the party. The ever-changing forecast at the time was that Dorian will hit Miami in 2 days. People were scrambling for the airports or to get out of town quicker than you could say prestidigitation (whatever the fuck that means). To stay or not to stay? That is…was, the question. So, there I am on a windy Miami night, with a group of “brave” guys...& girls, trying to decide whether to call it and head home next day before the storm hits, while simultaneously trying to squeeze out some fun in anticipation of hurricane to come. It was clearly a time to try some good whiskey to calm the nerves. Enter Bowmore 15Yr The Darkest & JW Blue label (review coming soon). Not particularly super upper echelon drams but since I hadn’t tried neither before, they would do the trick (or so I hoped). The price per pour at the resort was ridiculous enough that I’m choosing not to remember it and not get upset. Sucks to be part of a captive audience with limited choices. Nonetheless, I’ll just say hurricane Dorian was NOT the only thing robbing us of our good spirits that evening (no pun intended). But...since it’s considered company “perks” [Read: Not coming out of my pocket], I’m not complaining too much...nuff said. Moving on. NOSE: The nose is alluring. An aromatic orchestra of fruit, smoke and chocolaty caramel. I get cherries, buttered caramel and light sweet smoke, all playing their parts so well together. A little touch of brine at the tail end but not in your face aggressive like Talisker or Springbank. PALATE: Taste doesn’t disappoint, mimicking the nose closely. Juicy fruit dipped in smoked liqueur. The smoke gently wafts in and out as if to tell you it’s also invited to party but wants to remain a stranger. FINISH: Long and a bit dry. Smoke stays with you, cascading down your throat in a warming embrace. CONCLUSH: Overall, a decently balanced and integrated dram, nose to tail (not another pun). I enjoyed this one. Solid 3.5 - 3.75 ⭐️. Try, own or pass? Definitely try! I personally won’t be adding this to my collection because there are other similar styles with better VFM out there…AND...my whiskey-collection sieve is getting more and more selective as the world spins. Pass only if you don’t like the good things in life. Cheers my friends!

NOTE: This review was first posted on Distiller six years ago when there was no listing for this specific expression of Bowmore 15. I’m transferring it here as I just noticed that this correct listing now exists. This whisky was discontinued in 2017 but 15 year old expressions of Bowmore are still bottled as core-range. Some are just called Bowmore 15, others also have names such as “Dark & Intense” and “Golden & Elegant”, and there are occasional limited editions. -------------------------------------------------- [Review from April 20, 2017] Nose: Overbearing cedarwood and mineral oil and a strong oily aroma that resembles nothing so much as furniture polish - or maybe shoe polish. Palate: The taste is as unappealing as the nose. A strong cherry cough-syrup and resinous wood flavour resulting from the marrying of assertively peat-smoked spirit with active and sulphurous sherry casks. Finish: Long. Asphalt, resin and tannin. Firm proof that one man's meat is another man's poison. I think this is one of the most unpleasant whiskies I've ever tasted and it is one of the few highly regarded whiskies I've tried that I loathe. It's not badly made, but it has a profile that is particularly repellent to me. That’s just my opinion, and if you happen to love this whisky then be happy that there is one less consumer out there trying to buy it. "Poor" : 60/100 (1 star) [AUD$120.00 per Bottle] --------------------------------------------------

When i had the Bowmore 12, i was dissapointed. Everybody talks about how good Bowmore is, but 12 yo didn't live up to that expectation for me. I have now tried the 15yo Darkest and i have the feeling that it is better than the 12yo but lacks of some things to make it a great whisky. Bottled at 43%abv it has a beautiful mahogany color. On the nose is Spectacular. Its aroma is one of the best i have perceived in a dram. Perfumed Peat, almonds, prunes and toffee in a beautiful way. I got excited about it and then when i tasted it, it brought me down. starts like water, to change into a nice Tobacco Flavor, then gets hot but not too much, a little bit oaky and malty. Light bodied, finish is medium with not much flavor on it. (nevertheless i just added 0.6 points to the score because i just felt more chewable tobacco while writting this, 5 minutes after i drank the whole thing). Nothing special here, no peat on the palate, it just doesn't feel that much "Islay". I pour 2 drops of water on it. Other things appeared but not to change the score. On the nose: chocolate and some spices. On the palate: Ginger, bitter chocolate, caramel and more tobacco. Now i have had 2 bowmore, not impressing me at all so far. The hype is not real, at least not yet. I have the 18 yo waiting, hope to find something better there. 76 over a 100; 3.75 if you prefer that score.

Date: 9/12/19 Region: Islay Bottled at: 43% Color: Amber (color added and chill filtered) Nose: sweet smoke, sherry, cherry. Some mocha. Smoke not overwhelming and is well balanced. After some time develops a malty sweetness/carmel. Palate: medium body. Prominent sherry, some spice, grapes, dark fruits, fades to peat and smoke Finish: medium long, smokiness to okay spice Overall Has mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it. Well balanced and complex with mixed sherries flavors mingled with malty sweetness and smoke/peat undercurrent. Would definitely buy another bottle. However would be better if not artificially colored...

Tasted at a bar, in a flute glass. Bottle level and age unknown. Sherry influence heavy on the nose, with a campfire undertone. Roasted trail mix over a campfire in October, with virgin dried fruit thrown into the mix. The palate is more of the same, with the smoke and sweetness. Sweet, dark fruits dominate the sweet side, while the smokiness never takes on a rubbery character. Mouth-feel is medium, and ABV is low enough to be well-managed. Some oak flavor comes through after 5-10 seconds. The dried fruit and smoke never overpower each other, and ride the long finish together as friends.