Bowmore Legend

One of the best

26th August 2017

Having had a bottle of this and a Glenlivet Founders Reserve sitting on the desk for ages I said to myself "that Bowmore looks a little unloved, maybe i should have a tipple".

As it passed my lips i INSTANTLY remembered why the Glenlivet was nearly finished and the Bowmore was barely touched. I'm 100% convinced that all the positive reviews come from smokers because there's only one thing this reminded me of: kissing a pack a day smoker.

I like a little smoke in my scotch but this was like mixing cheap scotch with ashtray dregs and drinking it.

28th December 2016

Impressive, but the 10 is a little better in my opinion.

25th November 2016

Taste like a mistake

31st January 2016

It's... Just OK. Pleasant enough on the palate and a definite step up from blended malts, but I was hoping for something more complex maybe approaching a springbank or an ardbeg.

28th November 2015

Thought it tasted great. Certainly doesn't taste like Petrol as mentioned in a previous review, on the rocks or straight its pretty smooth, I'll definitely try some other Bowmore's.

24th October 2015

I like the standard, buy-anywhere 12 year old so I thought I would experiment with another . This smelt like I was walking into a disinfected medical surgery. It tastes so smoky that I missed an other subtle flavours

22nd May 2015

Someone already mentioned, and indeed I agree this could easily be a staple for me. As a lover of Islay's I tried the Bowmore Darkest 15 year, and fell in love with it. This prompted me to give legend a try. Of course Legend doesn't have quite the depth as the more mature Islay Scotches, but for my money I'l drink it every day for under $35 U.S.

11th January 2015

Dynamic, exciting and fun with a bit of lost potential. This is a whisky I could drink daily. For the price it is an absolute steal. Highly recommended if you enjoy a smokey drink.

15th November 2014

...but that's just me. Everybody's different, and that's as it should be.

2nd October 2014

This is a good start to explore Bowmore. The Legend is youthful and thus lacks some complexity. But keeping it's price in mind, this is great value.
On the nose you have peat, mild smoke, burnt leaves and a citrus note.
The pallet is sour (mild sweet), smoky, peat and oily.
The finnish is quit long and spicy.
Recommended.

25th September 2014

I have tasted a lot of different Bowmore finishes, and modestly think to understand the "fundamentals" of it. This one at first can appear at first a little bit short of its "big brothers" (strenght, complexity), but is definitely a very worthwile part of the brand. Think of it (her ?) as the smart little sister of the family.

25th August 2014

A gentle whiskey that gains power as it travels down your gullet into your belly. The burn is quick and ferocious and the violence it evokes on your woman is blunt and furious. Highly recommended .

15th July 2014

Очень мягкий и лёгкий торф. Первой мыслью было - почему он такой мягкий и..водянистый, я ждал большей экспрессии от молодого виски. Но я вам скажу - это тот виски, который можно спокойно потягивать, сидя у камина по маленькому глотку не разбавляя водой или льдом (что, конечно=же было-бы преступлением, когда пьёшь односолодовый выски).

5th July 2014

The bad news is it lacks deep complexity often sought but some. But it is only 8 years old.The good news is that the elements of an Islay whisky are there: the peat, a hint of smoke and citrus. I agree with another reviewer that people need to understand what to expect from the different regions. I would start someone new to Islay with a Bowmore as all the elements are there. It is brilliant value. Remember there is no such thing as a bad whisky, only personal preferences. To compare ANY Islay drop with petrol says more about the reviewer than the whisky.

22nd May 2014

this is a nice single malt for the price. it has a nice peaty smoke taste and although it is not as complex as an older malt it has a nice finish. a little ice makes it a bit smoother but I would say for the price it's a sold but. spreyside 12 I would say is a bit better and about the same price.

16th February 2014

A bit bland but really tasty. Really good value for money.

14th January 2014

I've tasted many a' premium scotch, this one is my favorite. It has a complex delicious flavor that goes down easy. I was struck by how much it stood out. Tastes of smoke and the ocean, and quite peaty as well. It's delicious pungency is not for the everyone.

8th January 2014

I have some Laphroaig Ciardeas and it was a bit too peaty for me. I was looking for the other end of the scale and found the Bowmore Legend for $30 and it was just what I was looking for. Light peat, not medicine-y, very drinkable. I'm not one to be able to talk about complexity since I am relatively new to Scotch, but I would definitely recommend this to someone trying to see what peat-ed whisky was like. If it is not for you, you are only out $30. I've spent a lot more on whisky that was not to my pallet.

29th December 2013

My tastes are not too fancy--give me a nice Glennfiddich or Glenlivet and I'm happy. Dewars is fine. This is undrinkable. Very heavy peat flavor. Would not even cook with this. One sip was too much. Wonder if this was regifted.

23rd December 2013

If you can afford a hundred bucks or more for a bottle of single malt, you need not read further. But if are looking for a decent, affordable single malt, this might be one of the best picks. I say Bowmore Legend is not much inferior to the 10-year-old Laphroaig. Sure, it is a bit lighter and less refined, but for the money, it is very good value. And it is far from petrol or the worst whiskey, as suggested by the resident snob above.

26th October 2013

I read reviews here and other places about "The Legend". It seemed that most of the negative reviews were from those who didn't understand Islay or were overbearing snobs. I love Laphroaig 10, but don't spend that much on a daily drinker. This is a nice whisky with enough smoke, peat and salt to make it interesting. No, it is not too complex, but it tastes good. All told, it beats any similarly priced blend and has enough Islay character that it is much better than many lower prices malts. It will become one of my "go to" purchases.

3rd August 2013

My first islay way Lagavulin 16. I had a great experience with that one but it was not that cheap for my country standards. Bowmore Legend is great for what you pay for.

4th July 2013

First, I should preface by saying I LOVE the Bowmore 15 year old, delicious. But with this purchase, I just wasted $30. This was the worst Whisky I have ever tasted, period. There was a review, perhaps on another site that compared the taste to petrol. I laughed at what seemed like an exaggeration, but that is exactly the taste that smacks you in the mouth. I drank 3-4 sips of the bottle and used the rest to kill ants nesting on the side of my property. Better to spend a bit more on something better, or just drink water.

1st July 2013

I had almost given up on finding a whisky as interesting in its way as my preferred bourbons. Then I came upon a bottle of Bowmore Legend ($26). I was struck -- as never before -- by the smoky, "mouth-fulla-peat" taste scotch drinkers kept telling me about. I looked about for other single malts from Islay (Laphroaig, Bowmore 12, and Ardbeg) and found them fascinating and delicious. Legend is lighter, for sure, and sweeter than some of its older Islay kin. Offered a sip to my wife, and she said, "I think I could develop a taste for that." I still love my single-barrel and small-batch Kentucky whiskey -- no Jack Daniels of Jim Beam. But from time to time when I get a hankering for ocean salt and seaweed and peat, I venture into the world of the original and pick up a nice single-malt Islay. And from time to time that whiskey is going to be Bowmore Legend. This is a bargain at the price, and a great introduction to those complex whiskies from Islay.

5th May 2013

immature and unbalanced. either spend your money on JW red, or spend more for a better bowmore; their are many. Just do not spend your money on this one.

14th February 2013

I got a bottle on sale at Walgreens for $25. Very good value at that price. It is sweet, to be sure, and young, but it's a "honey" of a scotch that I'll buy again and recommend. It's lightness is actually a plus for uneducated palates such as my own, as under tonal floral qualities come through that you do not ordinarily associate with scotch. Honey indeed.

7th February 2012