Bowmore Small Batch is an elegant Islay single malt matured in both first-fill and second-fill bourbon barrels. A great introduction to Bowmore's lovely smoky flavour profile - the Small Batch is refined, light, and well-balanced with plenty of honey, coconut, and vanilla notes.
This bottle was part of a private collection - if you'd like more detailed photos just get in touch!
It was cheap, but I would not buy it again. Very smoky, not much else. Not to my taste at all. A bit light and insubstantial.
Bought a bottle yesterday in NYC for $33- + tax. I was looking for a peaty experience, but this was really sup-parr. Black Grouse would surpass. AVOID!
They must have radically changed the recipe for this recently. This is a full metal jacket, balls to the wall, peat-monster. Very enjoyable and better balance than the 12 year old. TCP bandages in honey. Very nice if you like that sort of thing which I do. A nice drying finish makes this a deliciously moreish dram.
If you have seen any of my other reviews you'll know that I really love single malt scotch whisky and rarely do I give a bad review on anything they are all quite wonderful to me.However there have only ever really been 2 distilleries that didn't really impress me and those are Auchentoshan and Bowmore.I gave Auchentoshan 3 chances to really make me love them and although I enjoyed the american oak the 12 year and the triple wood were quite syrupy and reeked of caramel coloring and that is a big turn off for me so as of now Auchentoshan would probably have to be my least favorite distillery I have had so far.My second least favorite distillery would probably be Bowmore because I tried their 12 year against all the other entry level bottles Islay had to offer and wasn't too impressed it lacked the raw ,rich character that other Islay whiskys possessed and quickly became a distillery I all but forgot about.However I spontaneously bought a bottle of this small batch stuff at my local spot today and I ordered many other whiskys so look for more reviews from me soon.Anyways on with this review: This doesnt look so fake colored as the 12 year and smells peatier and oakier, It isn't as peaty as other Islays I'd compare more to longrow probably but the bourbon oak makes this quite pleasant hint of citrus with some vanilla and that sea salt goodness that lets you know it aged by the coast. A nice even fairly mellow peat works it way through this whisky and helps disguise any youth.My favorite thing I have had from Bowmore so far and now I am willing to try more from them glad I gave this distillery a second chance.The Sugarbear
This Whisky is responsible for the start of my journey , it's a lovely tasty start to the world of whisky and it opened my tastebuds to want to try more, an absolute steal at £25 in the supermarket on offer?
