The heart of the Bowmore range, the 12 year old exhibits some beautiful coastal notes with a gentle peat, it is the balance that the floral element presents that makes this a great entry bottling for Bowmore.
Coastal smoke and ash soon make way for bergamot, orange zest, lemon slices and some hay before becoming rather floral, heather smoke now competing with the ash.
Lovely and rounded, honeyed even, initially. Vanilla, perfumed smoke and coastal elements develop. Dark Peat. Blossom, oily sweetness.
Smoky and long. Sea spray, dry grass, a touch of ash and citrus.
Classic stuff and the heart of the Bowmore range. Smoky, fruity, coastal, delicious.
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... Everyone's got one and they all stink! Some of the wisest words I've ever been taught, so here's mine (opinion): Bowmore legend was the first whisky in which I started to get a real understanding of the whole whisky world, around 10 years ago. I've tried a few different ones since then and when I came back to this one, I remembered that first night of discovering actual flavours in an alcoholic drink (seeing as how I mostly stuck to beer in those days). This whisky didn't disappoint, sea spray or salt, hay loft, smoke, iodine and peat all you'd expect from an islay but much more subtle and less overwhelming than other heavier whiskies, with other tastes of citrus and vanilla. If you prefer the heavier stuff, you may not like this one, same as if you prefer the frutier or sweeter ones, but don't call it a drain unblocker or dismal, because it simply is not as you should appreciate something for what it is, rather than what you want it to be. I mean honestly, if you know that you don't like islay, why buy tjis so you can complain online??! Iechyd da!
This is a perfectly sippable Islay malt that is also the definition of a mediocre Islay malt. There is so little going on here on the nose and palate that I find it hard to mention anything besides peat, salt, vanilla and a bit of oak. The finish is a flash that leaves only lingering salt instead of the iodine-rich brine that quality Islay malts are known for. Take a McClelland's Islay and age it for 12 years, you will get a Bowmore 12. This is the Glenfiddich of Islay. Recommended only for beginners. I would have a MacLeod's Islay over this malt any day.
This is an Islay Whisky, which would generally reflect a PEATED quality to it. Ignore the reviews from the snobs who are used to a single malt bathed in Sherry Casks and tasted like candy. Will you get smoke? YES Will you get TCP? YES Will it be rough and rugged and a bit salty like a sea spray in your face during a squall? YES
After one glass I feel like I've bought a very expensive bottle of disinfectant. I like scotch, and I like Islay whisky but this, no way, it's foul. One for the blocked drains.
Clearly you have to have a certain palate for this stuff - smells like tcp, tastes like tcp. There should be a warning for the uninitiated. VERY disappointed.
