Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.
Distillery: Bowmore Distillery, Isle of Islay, Scotland.
Region: Islay.
Proof: 112.
Age: 21 years. 17 years ex-bourbon, 4 years first-fill American oak Oloroso hogshead. No coloring added. Distilled 2/16/2004.
Price: £230.00 (£207 with event discount), 700ml.
Appearance: Copper.
Nose
Wood smoke, blackberry compote, vanilla bean, black licorice, lavender floral, orange citrus, milk chocolate, cinnamon spice, and cedar wood. The smokiness is on par with the upfront fruitiness and a host of excellent flavors that work well together. I love this profile, and the overall balance is fantastic. With water added, there’s less smoke and more berries, milk chocolate, licorice, and more oak influence from the ex-bourbon cask coming through. The balance of flavors is still excellent, with the profile becoming more decadent.
Palate
With an oily mouthfeel, the nose carries over to the palate with wood smoke, blackberries, malt, orange peel, black licorice, lavender, cedar, and a well-balanced allspice that builds mid-sip without overwhelming. With water added, the profile softens without revealing anything new. The most significant change is reduced smokiness, with the spice becoming a sharper black pepper.
Finish
As the spice dissipates, notes of cedar-planked smoked salmon, blackberries, dark chocolate, anise, floral, and vanilla develop. With more time, this long finish closes out the sip with subtle leather and berries, along with pleasant campfire-wood smokiness. With water added, the finish is shorter and softer. The black pepper spice lingers with a nice pop of blackberries, chocolate, and less smoke.
Conclusion
Every time I come back to this bottle, I’m reminded why I brought it home from Scotland. It’s a release that’s right up my alley, but I had a hard time nailing down exactly what I liked best about its flavor profile. The well-balanced wood smokiness and blackberries are what I think of first, but the upfront floral lavender, vanilla, orange peel, black licorice/anise, and milk chocolate all play an equal role in giving this complex profile its character. I finally concluded that it’s more about what they all do together as one cohesive note, rather than what they offer individually. I preferred this release without water added and found it very enjoyable to drink at full proof. I liked what adding water did to the nose, but on the palate and finish, it just made it a bit muted without bringing out anything new or improving the experience.
As for the other Bowmore cask, 3.365 “Sweet Seduction,” what I remember most is its upfront fruitiness, matched with a well-balanced peat note that reminded me of tangy Texas BBQ sauce rather than the wood smokiness in this cask. If this profile is your jam, I’ve seen similar Bowmore 21-year IB releases from Single Cask Nation, distilled in 2004 and finished in Oloroso and PX, available online that may be worth checking out.
Rating: 8.5/10.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
