20 Décember 2022.
The Line Up Proect
Bowmore is a distillery that I'm getting to know very well. I've tasted 32 expressions that officially come from there, and I've owned about fifteen bottles. It's an easily recognisable profile, with maritime and saline peat, less pronounced than that of its Islay neighbours, but still very present. The iodine is combined with a very pleasant undergrowth, forest humus note, and sometimes a slight minerality, which can be combined with metallic hints. I think everyone agrees that this is a very good distillery, but there's one thing you have to admit: it's not easy to get to.
The most commonly available expressions on the market, Legend, No. 1, Black Rock, 12 yo, 15 yo, and even some limited editions that have become harder to find over time, 9 yo Sherry Cask Matured, 10 yo Dark & Intense, 15 yo Golden & Elegant, are either mediocre or offer poor value for money. The Tempest 10 yo range, which was very good, was discontinued in 2015, and that of Vault Edit 1°N, which was supposed to include 4 bottlings, saw only 2 appear in the end. Now the distillery invests in marketing operations in collaboration with luxury car brands, which modify the packaging without changing anything about the whisky inside. The lack of creativity is glaring. Since the start of the decade, the only new expressions have been a 9-year-old that has gone completely unnoticed, and some very rare and very expensive editions that are quickly unobtainable or unaffordable on the secondary market. Clearly, Bowmore is aiming to be a luxury product, like Macallan, and the good, easily accessible products it used to have are gradually being phased out. Or their price is rising considerably. For example, the average price of the 18 year old has risen by 60% in the last 5 years. And this at a time when the reasonably priced limited editions that were regularly released in the 2010s have completely disappeared. It may be argued that there is a problem with stock, but this is mainly because a large proportion of it is going to Japan, to supply the Suntory blends, the distillery's owner.
That, it seems to me, is the current state of things, and in these conditions it seems obvious that the enlightened enthusiast that I try to be, and those to whom I address myself through this blog, will not necessarily want to deepen their knowledge of this distillery. And that's understandable. However, its bottles are also some of the best I've ever tasted. That's why I'll always defend Bowmore, even in difficult or unsatisfactory times. They don't do much well, but every now and then, when the stars align, they're capable of the best.
And that's the aim of the little Line Up I'm presenting this evening. To give some preliminary indications so that those who might be interested can find their way to Bowmore. What is it about the Core Range, the limited editions and even the independent bottlings that are worth a look? There's undoubtedly a lot to throw away, but not everything, far from it. And what's worth keeping, really worth keeping, because it's very, very good stuff.
A preliminary remark: some independent bottlers are missing from this tasting, and they are doing some remarkable things: Duncan Taylor and Càrn Mor. If you have the opportunity and the means to open a Bowmore from one of these bottlers, go for it. No matter what, it will be a killer. Others are doing very good stuff: The Whisky Agency, Cadenhead or even Artist (there too),but it's not crazy either, and sometimes a bit expensive for what it is. That said, you won't be disappointed, it's always top quality.
Now let's get down to business!
The Tasting
Bowmore 18 yo : This is a classic expression from the distillery, dating back to 2007. Unfortunately, it's getting harder and harder to find, and the price has gone up a lot. I don't know if it's still worth buying today.
Nice balance between the Sherry and the coastal flavours. Ripe damsons, and the tide, the sea spray, iodine. Muscat grapes. Marzipan. The smoke gradually rises, the iodine deepens. Rich, unctuous and slightly spicy on the palate, with a strawberry coulis. A dash of vanilla. Nutmeg. Long, powerful finish, charcoal, cola, heather. Score : 88
Bowmore 18 yo Deep & Complex :This travel retail was released in 2017. It has become more expensive but the price is still decent. I'd advise keeping an eye out for it as it's really good.
Warm sherry, very deep. Red fruits and humus, forest undergrowth. Blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries. Iodine and smoke in the background. Full-bodied on the palate, very fruity, with a hint of peat. Wormwood, light spices. Very long finish, heather, charcoal, cola, dark chocolate. Score: 89
Bowmore 10 yo Inspired By The Devil's Casks Series :There was a time when this was the sort of thing you could get for a decent price. That was when Rachel Barrie was still working for the distillery. And that wasn't so long ago, I found this bottle in May 2020.
Very fruity sherry, more on the gooseberry or lingonberry. Alongside this, iodine and smoke are quite strong. Humus, deep undergrowth, black earth. Morello cherries, raspberry coulis. Equally fruity on the palate, with fine spices, nutmeg, clove, pomegranate. Long, rich, woody, slightly aniseed finish. Mint chocolate. Score : 88
Bowmore 19 yo French Oak Barrique :Another limited edition that brightened up many an evening in the late 2010s. I found it in November 2020 on special offer. Apparently it wasn't selling enough. Now that it's sold out, people have finally realised that it's magnificent.
Very heady, vinous nose, lingonberry jam, lovely smoke that blends with iodine, smoked salmon, scallops. Blood orange. Excellent palate, rose water, red fruits, at the same time very iodised, some well-managed spices. Winey and earthy. Long, explosive finish, heather, bay leaves, black earth. Score: 90
Bowmore Vault Edit 1°N Second Release 'Peat Smoke' :Second version of this limited edition that was supposed to replace the Tempest. It was released on the sly, and I'm not even sure it was sold in France. It quickly sold out. It was supposed to be the 2nd volume in a series of 4, but we're still waiting for the 3rd.
Strong peat, with a dash of Sherry, quince jam, mirabelle plums. Iodine, the tide. After a while, it becomes creamier. Ginger. Initially soft on the palate, then powerful spices. Leather, caramel. Thick peat. Fine finish, solid and controlled, long, maritime. White grapes. Score: 88
Bowmore Vault Edit 1°N First Release 'Atlantic Sea Salt' :First version of this limited edition that was supposed to replace the Tempest. But it wasn't a great success. What's more, it was very expensive for what it was, which means that, 7 years after its launch, you can still find it here and there. Personally, I found it on special offer at almost half price. I wouldn't have paid more.
Fermented white fruits, plums and grapes. A hint of vanilla and iodine. Gradually, the iodine becomes stronger and blends well with the smoke. The palate is good, but less coastal, more vanilla. Light spices. Quite a long finish, with tides and sea spray. Oysters, salt. Score: 87
Bowmore 18 yo Manzanilla Cask The Vintner's Trilogy :We're ending the ballet of limited editions with this one, which was a huge success when it was released in 2017. Quickly sold out, it is now selling at a premium on the secondary market.
It's sweet, with quince jam, genoise and whipped cream, rhubarb. Then iodine, smoke and a few exotic fruits. On the palate, wood, chestnut, damp black earth and thick peat. Tamed spices. Very successful finish, very long, explosive, on liquorice and cola, macaroons. Score: 89
Elements of Islay 2001 Bw7 16 yo : Among independent bottlers, Elements of Islay is a safe bet. Here we have a fine 16 year old released in 2017.
Tinder, brown sugar, liquorice, dried fruits, apricots and raisins, fresh figs, as well as thick black smoke, damp earth and deep undergrowth. Sweet and woody on the palate. Genoise, pastry cream. Coffee eclair. Fine spices, cardamom, cinnamon, paprika. Long, very well-managed finish, milk chocolate, clove. Score : 89
Bowmore 1996 The Single Malts of Scotland 23 yo : Let's stay with Elixir Distillers, while changing the range. This is a 23-year-old released in 2020.
Lots of iodine. A touch of vanilla and smoke to sharpen it all up; the tide, oysters, kelp, seaweed, foam. Hazelnuts, dried fruits. On the palate, woody, fruity, with humus and earth, peat. Very long, explosive finish, charcoal, and the maritime profile is back. Crayfish, shellfish. Cashew nuts. Score: 89
Bowmore 1998 Mocha on the Deck 18 yo :This bottling is famous, one of Bowmore's masterpieces of recent years. I wait hopelessly for its successor.
Enticing smoke that blends with coffee, chocolate chips. Earthy peat, oily humus. Coffee eclair. A cloud of milk. On the palate, more coffee, very noble, damsons, blueberries. Strong spices, pomegranate. Undergrowth. Very long finish, chocolate powder, mocha, nutmeg. Score : 91
What I gain from it
- I realise that this tasting is a bit of a farewell to all those wonderful limited editions that came out in the 2010s, which we won't be seeing any more. My bottles are nearing the end, and there won't be much to replace them.
- In the regular range, the 18-year-old is still good but now too expensive, leaving the 18-year-old Deep & Complex, which is well worth buying. The rest are dispensable, if not negligible. Or very expensive.
- A little hope from the independent bottling sector. I can think of 5 main ranges: Duncan Taylor, Càrn Mor, Elements of Islay, The Single Malts of Scotland, Wemyss Malts, and in a pinch Cadenhead or Artist. You'll have to pay a high price to find what you're looking for at Bowmore.
- Bowmore is a really interesting distillery, with several strings to its bow. It can insist on the iodine and maritime character, or it can make beautiful marriages with Sherry. Both options work well. But the best, if I may say so, was when they experimented with ageing and finishing in wine casks. I'm afraid those days are over.
Conclusion
Fortunately we still have independent bottlings, otherwise I don't know what we'd do with this fine distillery, which gave us so much satisfaction just a few years ago. The situation is a bit sad.
There are several distilleries that can be described as lost today, for the enthusiast who is not wealthy. Macallan, Ardbeg, Springbank. But at least for these distilleries, there are still the expressions of the Core Range, which are always impressive. For Bowmore, that's not even the case. Apart from the 18-year-old Deep & Complex, there's nothing to remember. I think we're in for a long period of discretion from this distillery. Perhaps we'll be able to splash out on independent bottlings from time to time.
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All pictures were taken on the distillery site.
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