A 15 year old released in January of 2007 from the legendary Bowmore distillery in Islay, finished in Sherry casks, imparting a rich sweetness that blends well with the peaty elements.
Dark and punchy. Sherry notes, juicy Corinth raisins. Spices. Creamy, mochaccino, sweet dates.
Rich, woody, pine oil. Syrupy. Lovely, creamy toffee and malt. Smoky.
Spicy, toffee, sherry, barley.
I have been drinking the Lagavulin 16 for a while now and I found it difficult to appreciate another peated whisky as I liked the Lagavulin. but I finally found something comparable. I cant say its "better", but it's definitely "comparable". Lagavulin as the "explosive peated BBQ sauce punch" and the Bowmore Darkest as a "sweeter sauce" effect on the pallet. Overall, its true that there is still a gap of quality and complexity between these two bottles but its still a cheaper and sweeter version of the Lagavulin. And to be honest, i found that Lagavulin quality is dropping over past years... which is the opposite of Bowmore. In conclusion, you wont throw your Lagavulin away for this one but its worth giving it a try. And depending of what you are looking for (powerful or sweeter), you should probably appreciate this bottle.
Superb balance,well, maybe erring alittle on the sweet side. A looooong finish with hints of sea salt and toffee."Slightly" less oily than Lagavulin and less money!My new house whiskey!
In response to "The Whore of Islay"; it is true this one is considerably sweeter than most Islays, but my cabinet has space for many different whiskies. Sometimes I want it dry, peaty, and smoky. Sometimes I want it full and sweet to swirl and sip. If I should feel dirty about buying this delightful whisky then let it be so! Sometimes it is fun to feel dirty!
Wonderfully sherried and perfectly smoked, smooth from start to finish! From a neat pour the nose lends beautiful peat smoke, wet earth, campfire ash, and salty coastal notes. After it opened up, sweeter notes like pumpkin pie and golden raisins came thru. The palate is silky, with hints of salted butter, wood, and smoke. The finish is relatively short, but it is best described as spiced caramel with a wonderful transition back to the coastal saltiness and smoke. I didn't care for the Bowmore 12 as it's heavy iodine, antiseptic, sterile notes were too much for me. However, while some may disagree, the longer aging and sherry casks makes this a well-balanced peated Islay malt. If you're not into heavy peat and prefer more sherry notes, this is the perfect way to test the waters. Grab a sample from the chaps at Master of Malt!
This isn't bad, but for an Islay, it's totally an Islay dressed up in a sherry finish, with distillers suppressing her smokey origins. It's actually not bad as a drink for those who aren't particular, but for those who care, you should feel a little dirty buying this one.
