Trip to Japan – Nikka ‘Yoichi’ 10 year 45%

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Next up in our Whisky Ladies evening was a ‘quick trip to Japan!‘ (Pollywood)

Nikka 'Yoichi' 10 year (Whisky Lady)

Nikka ‘Yoichi’ 10 year (Whisky Lady)

Here’s what we found:

  • Nose – Quite masculine at first, though fruity especially a strong apple cinnamon, like a mid-autumn cider. As it opened, became as American as apple pie… naturally with caramel and vanilla ice cream!
  • Taste – Smooth, well-rounded, unmistakably an autumn dram, juniper, pine, apple, a drizzle of honey, a cognac-like quality
  • Finish – Just a hint of spice at the end but overall smooooooth beyond belief! As it aired, even more character emerged.

We concluded this was like autumn in Vancouver… The kind of crisp fall day where you could go for a brisk hike in a tall deep forest then come back and reward yourself with a steaming hot, fresh-from-the-oven fruit pie!

Here’s what the Nikka folks say:

This 10 year old bottling unmistakably carries the Yoichi pedigree, which propelled Japanese whisky to international recognition. Peat notes surround a core of ripe fruit aromas, while a rich texture and underlying power make this the most masculine of Japanese single malts.

By now, most would be familiar with Japan’s popularity on the global whisky scene. Nikka‘s Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido was founded by Masataka Taketsuru in 1934.

The folks over at Nikka describe their distillery as one which :

…produces rich, peaty and masculine malt. The whisky gets its distinct aroma and body from direct heating distillation, in which the pot stills are heated with finely powdered natural coal–the traditional method that is hardly ever used today, even in Scotland.

The adherence to Scottish whisky making traditions is characteristic of the vision set by Taketsuru-San. Credited as the founder of Japanese whisky, Taketsuru studied chemistry and apprenticed at Hazelburn distillery in Scotland before bringing his love of whisky and bonnie Scottish wife – Jessie Roberta “Rita” Cowan – home to Japan in 1920. He built Suntory’s Yamasaki distillery, nurturing its development for a decade before venturing on to found the Nikka brand.

As for our inaugural Whisky Ladies evening?

One remarked it was “A trip around the world and a relationship all in one night!”

Other whiskies sampled during our rollicking session included:

Nikka 'Yoichi' 10 year (Table For One)

Nikka ‘Yoichi’ 10 year (Table For One)

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:

Kilchoman Coull Point NAS 46%

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Kilchoman may be a young whisky distillery, however it is making its mark.

Our merry malt group were fortunate to sample the Kilchoman Machir Bay and 100% Islay… long before I was disciplined about writing tasting notes. We even had an opportunity to meet the master distiller Anthony Willis and his delightful wife for dinner in Mumbai for a marvellous pairing of these whiskies that could hold their own with desi khanna (that’s Indian food folks!).

So on my last chance to grab a bottle at Heathrow Airport, the quite reasonably priced Coull Point caught my eye.

And when we decided the kick off a kick @$$ whisky women evening, it seemed fitting to bring along the Kilchoman.

Kilchoman Coull Point (Table For One)

Kilchoman Coull Point (Table For ONE)

Kilchoman Coull Point NAS 46%

  • Colour – Pale straw
  • Nose – Needs to breathe if just opened (unless you enjoy chloroform!), then the most gorgeous sea breeze, salty, briny, peat, a little sour curd… after some time sweeter fruity elements emerge, a little vanilla
  • Taste – A touch of cinnamon spice then sweet, citrusy or pear, then just cranks up the sweet, replacing the cinnamon spice with cinnamon candy like those red heart candies, increasingly softer the more it opens
  • Finish – Bold yet smooth, a hint of spice and that woodsy peaty breath
  • Water – Yes please! While it doesn’t need it, brings back the zing on the palate and awash of sea breeze
  • Overall – A mighty fine dram. It may be young, but it transports one to a beatifull bonfire on a beach.

I love one of our merry lasses (TableForOne) tweeted about the Coull Point:

This ‪#‎Kilchoman‬ is like a kiss on the beach, snuggled up against a bonfire.

Yup! Sounds about right!

While I will admit at the end of the evening my hand reached for the Compass Box Asyla, it was in part as I knew this baby was coming home with me.

It would be interesting to revisit the Machir Bay, 100% Islay with Coull Point. While my memory was overall positive for the others, I have a funny feeling there is something more with Coull Point… just a few baby steps further into the territory of more complex nuanced whiskies… Bottom line, these folks are on to a good thing!

Coull Point (Whisky Lady)

Coull Point (Whisky Lady)

Like all Kichoman expressions, there is a story behind the name. In this case, Coull Point is half a mile north from the distillery on Machir Bay, described as a “rugged outcrop of rocks on the west coast of the Island.”

The box notes share it is a vatting of 4 to 5 year single malt, matured in fresh bourbon barrels, with the 4 year old finished in oloroso sherry butts for 4 weeks prior to bottling.

What the Kilchoman folks have to say:

  • Colour – Light beech
  • Nose – Soft cooked fruits with strong peaty aromas
  • Palate – Soft mixed fruits and vanilla with an intense sweetness
  • Finish – A classic Islay malt now showing the benefit of additional ageing. A long lingering finish.

And here’s what others say:

Kilchoman Coull Point 46% (Whisky Lady)

Kilchoman Coull Point 46% (Whisky Lady)

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:

Compass Box – Asyla 40%

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I’m in love with a beautiful woman… and her name is Asyla.

And who exactly is she? Another captivating Compass Box  blend…

Asyla was named for the plural of asylum, playing on the word’s ambiguous character – sanctuary or madhouse. John Glazer, whisky maker, waxes poetical about a piece of musical inspiration and reflects on whether whisky, like music, can be an asylum… as he describes his creation:

… for a delicate, comforting yet luminous whisky such as this, one which gently enlivens the sense, I have always felt ASYLA an appropriate name. And I believe our lute-playing minstrel is an appropriate image for this label, depicting that penumbra between ecstasy and serenity.

Asyla (Whisky Lady)

Asyla (Whisky Lady)

And what did our Whisky Ladies have to say about Asyla?

  • Colour – Pale straw
  • Nose – Floral, fruity, exceedingly light, vanilla… in short like a feminine perfume
  • Taste – Yummy! Quite delicate, warm, toffee, more vanilla with the lingering floral element, surprisingly ‘thick’ on the tongue, subtle yet with quiet substance
  • Finish – Smooth!
  • Water? Don’t think anyone tried… perfect as is.
  • Overall – Without being insanely sweet, it is like a fluffy desert! Or everyone’s perfect woman in a whisky.

For many, this whisky was the favourite of the evening. A few of us were already massive Compass Box fans, those that weren’t, became converts in the making…

Here is what our note-taker of the evening predicted:

Carissa will probably steal the remainder and snuggle with the bottle for the rest of the evening…

Confession… I did.

Here is what the folks over at Compass Box have to say:

A blend of soft, fruity malt whiskies on a bed of rich, sweet grain whiskies. All whiskies aged in first-fill American oak casks to yield the trademark Compass Box style: soft, rich, vanilla-tinged, delicious. See why this, the lightest of our whiskies, wins the most awards!

For those that want more ‘facts’, Asyla is a blend of single malts from the towns of Alness and Longmorn; single grain whisky from Fife.

However who cares about facts when an achingly lovely lady enters into your life?

The Compass Box sampling suite enjoyed so far include:

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:

The Whisky Ladies of Mumbai!

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What do you get when you combine kick-ass brilliant women and interesting whiskies? An insanely good time!

Years ago, I was interviewed as a woman whisky drinker, with the implication that the fairer sex enjoying a good dram is something new. Let me be clear – it is not!

However at all the recent whisky ‘Master classes’ in Mumbai and Delhi, lead by Master Distillers hoping to capture the hearts and palates of the Indian market, just where were the other women whisky appreciators? Why was I a rarity rather than the norm?

Wake up gents! We do exist… we are a growing tribe globally… no less so in India… and you ignore us at your peril!

So, how did this particular ‘Whisky Ladies’ event come about?

It all started with an innocent query about whisky drinking habits… Which lead to a conversation about women whisky afficiandos… Which sparked an idea to bring together a few ladies for a fine evening!
Without any effort, it was easy to gather a group of amusing women with diverse interests and one shared passion – whisky. Our host for the evening opened her gorgeous home in South Bombay for a most convivial setting – perfect for a merry night!
Whisky Ladies 1st Set (Table For One)

Whisky Ladies 1st Set (Photo: Table For One)

As for our killer line up of whisky?? Oh baby!

  • Compass Box’s Asyla – Love Compass Box blends and this delightful light number is like a joyous summer romp – fresh and flowery. A decidedly feminine start to the evening and a favourite of a few.
  • Kilchoman Coull Point – A complete contrast from a newer Islay distillery with a little wild ocean spray… top pick of one discerning whisky aficionado!
  • Nikka Yoichi 10 year – Then a jaunt to Japan for some mid–autumn cider after a wander through pine-filled British Columbia forests… Mmm….
  • Caol Ila 12 year – Ahh…. where would we be without this good old faithful Islay? Many fans in the room welcomed back an old friend!
  • Ledaig 1997/2013 46% – From the independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail, we closed our evening with a little trip to the Isle of Mull. Calmer seas, peat smoke, complexity with an enthusiastic conclusion – “It’s really, really, reeaaaallly yum!” This one caught favour with more than one female!

I can’t wait for Pollywood‘s weekly vlog which will have a few seconds from our evening. And with the success of our first gathering, there is no doubt this will become a monthly affair!

In fact, such are our ambitions there was talk of hatching plots to get Whisky Live (or something similar) back to India…

So gentlemen be warned. We are loud, proud whisky sipping women and we aren’t waiting around for an invitation. We’ll be making them!

Nikka 'Yoichi' 10 year (Table For One)

Nikka ‘Yoichi’ 10 year with goodies (Photo: Table For One)

Quote of the night from our host: “Please guys, let’s now just enjoy!!” Considering 3 bottles were emptied… we did indeed comply.

Farewell my lovely Ledaig (Table For One)

Farewell my lovely Ledaig (Photo: Table For One)

For a few amusing takes by some other Whisky Ladies… check out:

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Caol Ila 12 vs Caol Ila 12

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Not so long ago, we had an opportunity to enjoy a special bottling of Caol Ila 1997 from Gordon & MacPhail’s Connoisseurs Choice range. Bottled in 2009, this made the delightful whisky a 12 year…

Which reminded me that I’ve been meaning to pull out my standard Caol Ila 12 year for a proper tasting for quite some time. If you can believe it, a bottle has been kicking around my whisky cabinet at the ready to join an impromptu party or sociable occasion for more than a year… seriously.

Much as I enjoy a good dram in convivial settings, when it comes to tasting notes, I prefer focusing on the whisky alone either in a very small group of fellow whisky aficionados or solo. And for whatever inexplicable reason, those moments haven’t turned attention to my neglected Caol Ila.

Until a few nights ago on my own and again last night at an insanely enjoyable inaugural ‘Whisky Ladies’ evening in Mumbai.

Caol Ila 12 year (Whisky Lady)

Caol Ila 12 year (Whisky Lady)

Caol Ila 12 year 43%

  • Colour – Bright cheerful yellow straw
  • Nose – Honey, lemon, vanilla, a curl of peat, pear, a little curd
  • Palate – Welcome to the embrace of our old pal peat! A little spice, some sea salt to accompany the smoke, there is subtle substance to the body, a little oil, simple enveloping you in whisky warmth
  • Finish – Yes it is there… smokey, peppery yet surprisingly soft too
  • Water – Can add a drop or two but not necessary

I find the Caol Ila 12 one of those absolutely dependable and under-rated Islay whiskies. It has that characteristic peaty element however without the dramatic boldness found in some Islays. While more subdued, it is also more balanced.

In short, it is one you can reach out for and simply enjoy.

And I realised anew why this whisky was one of my early staples… as in back in the day when I’d had little exposure to the world of whisky. Blame the Caol Ila among a few others for getting me hooked on to exploring more about this elixir of the gods.

I also can see why this whisky appeals to a desi palate… after all it is a key element in the ever popular Indian favourite Johnnie Walker Black Label. And if any of you remember that vatted malt Green Label? Yup! Once again – think Caol Ila.

As for the Gordon & MacPhail bottle that prompted my pulling out this Caol Ila for a revisit? Believe it or not I had a few wee drops squirrelled away just to compare.

Without a doubt the same family, however the Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 12 year is a more mellow, more complex, more nuanced single malt and takes everything I enjoy about Caol Ila and makes it more exquisitely etched… like bringing an appealing slightly blurry photo into rich focus.

Here’s what others say about the Caol Ila 12 year:

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:

Caol Ila 1997 43% (Gordon + McPhail Connoisseurs Choice)

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After an organic experiment from Bruichladdich and the Bunnahabhain Eirigh Na Greine expression, our Islay tour came to a close with a special Caol Ila from Gordon & MacPhail’s Connoisseurs Choice range.

Caol Ila 1997 (Whisky Lady)

Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 1997 (Whisky Lady)

Caol Ila Sept 1997 (bottled 2009) 43% (Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice)

  • Colour – lovely pale gold
  • Nose – Peat – not in a crazy overwhelming way but very much present with a light touch. A nice smoked kabab, more smoked meats, then a delightful perfume, caramel, charcoal. That insanely yummy distinct indescribable ‘yum’ malty quality with hints of brine.
  • Palate – Initially a lot of caramel, charcoal, a strong decisive character, oily, then dry, bitter, ashy warm, like curling up next to a warm fireplace kinda feel, opens up further and meeeeeellllooow, rich robust, complex and ever so smooth
  • Finish – While doesn’t have that crazy mature OMG finish, still ever so nice, long and oh so good with a little herbal flourish
  • Water – Loved it without and loved it with.. sweater, custard, creamy

Naturally, when we began our sniffing, sipping and savouring, it was completely blind.

Given the theme of the evening, our speculation immediately turned to different Islay distilleries – Laphroig? Lagavulin..? Caol Ila…???! With most favouring Caol Ila

However it was equally clear this was a special expression, eventually most concluded it might be from an independent bottler like Gordon MacPhail.

With the unveiling, there was an exuberant ‘Yeaaaas!!’ feeling rather smug in our guessing prowess – at least on this evening.

Our overall impression was that this is simply gorgeous 12 year old… with comments like “This is my next buy!” and “This is what ALL Caol Ila’s should taste like!” could be heard.

As an added experiment, I pulled out the standard Caol Ila 12 year expression – while clearly the same family, not in the same league.

Here are what the folks over at Gordon & MacPhail have to say:

Caol Ila 1997 (Whisky Lady)

Without water

  • Nose – Hints of sweet cured ham, with a subtle ashy nose. Sweet honey influences, with a delicate malt note.
  • Taste – Some delicate brine, with a rounded sea air influence. A warmth lingers and delicate peat embers develop.

And with water:

  • Nose – Sweet and fresh, a more delicate sweet cured nose, the ash is now more pronounced, with a lingering smoke.
  • Taste – Some cigar ash, with a rounded sweetness. Delicate salt influences and fresh.

So there you have it… another fine evening with a trio of single malts from the Islay region.

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Bunnahabhain Eirigh Na Greine (Morning Sky) NAS, Batch 1, 46.3%

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This month, our merry malt explorers were treated to a unique trio of Islay whiskies – familiar distilleries with unfamiliar expressions.

We followed our standard blind tasting format, only revealing the whisky after sniffing, sipping, swishing, speculating and more.

1st up was a Bruichladdich experiment with organic barley.

Next? Read on…

Bunnahabhain Eirigh Na Greine (Whisky Lady)

Bunnahabhain Eirigh Na Greine (Whisky Lady)

Bunnahabhain Eirigh Na Greine (Morning Sky), batch no 1, 46.3%
  • Colour – Rose gold
  • Nose – 1st impression is very sweet, but seems like it is hiding, a medicinal element with one exclaiming “I would love to have a headache with  this!” Seems a bit oily, smells like fermented rice or dosa paste, after more airing the nose settles on being sweet, sweet and sweet as in candy sweet
  • Taste – Quite a light whisky, a bit shallow then surprises with something coming from behind – like winey grape peel or chewing on a jasmine or rose petal, sweet like gulkand (rose petal jam), a bit of sea salt
  • Finish – There but…
  • Water – The oiliness goes away, simply flattened the whisky and wouldn’t recommend adding
  • Overall impression – Not so complex, no peat, an easy drinking whisky that remains at a ‘surface’ level with the flirtatious wine / rose petal an interesting element
Speculation ran rife with this one. Seemed as thought it likely had a sherry or wine finish. Some thought the age was at most a 10 year, most opting for NAS.  Then the distillery guessing game began, rapidly narrowing to non-peated Islay with Bunnahabhain leading the pack!
With the unveiling, our host for the evening was maha impressed with Bunnahabhain guesses and the winey / rose element.
Bunnahabhain (Whisky Lady)

Bunnahabhain (Whisky Lady)

  • Eirigh Na Greine (pronounced Ae-ree ne gray-nyuh and meaning ‘Morning Sky’ in Gaelic) is an alluringly complex small-batch single malt Scotch whisky containing a significant proportion of high-quality ex-red wine cask-matured Bunnahabhain whiskies of various ages.
  • Our Master Distiller has perfected the recipe to ensure that Bunnahabhain’s signature taste, which includes roasted nuts and fruits with hints of sea salt and smoke, is further enhanced by sweet, rich and spicy aromas imparted by the Italian and French red wine influence.
  • The influence of the ex-red wine matured whiskies results in a multifaceted tasting experience, with luscious notes of rich fruits, boiled sweets and spicy effervescence.
Official tasting notes:
  • Appearance – Pale bronze
  • Nose – Rich dried fruits, toasted hazelnuts with hints of mouth-watering candy sweets, butterscotch, marzipan and rose syrup
  • Palate – Lively and satisfyingly smooth. A tantalising fusion of ripe cherries, prunes, apricots, orange marmalade with subtle hints of rich cocoa and spicy oakiness
  • Finish – Temptingly warm, nutty and spicy
Other whiskies sampled in our August session included:
August Tasting Trio

August Islay Tasting Trio (Whisky Lady)

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Bruichladdich and the organic option – The Organic Scottish Barley NAS 50%

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A muggy August evening brought our merry malt explorers together for a treat of three unique Islay whiskies. Each came from a familiar distillery yet were new expressions to tempt our palate.

We followed our standard blind tasting format, only revealing the whisky after sniffing, sipping, swishing, speculating and more.

So what did we find?

Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley NAS 50%

Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley NAS 50% (Whisky Lady)

Bruichladdich ‘The Organic Scottish Barley’ NAS 50%

  • Colour – Light yellow straw
  • Nose – Imli (tamarind), yet also a classic Scottish quality, fruit basket, very light, a kind of desert sweet, slight olive brine, as it continued to air an overwhelming sweet overripe bananas emerged
  • Taste – Initially a tingly spice, very dry and khatta (sour) with cinnamon, a bit prickly, then grew more and more  bitter, a little brine or sour curd, after some time the spice nearly disappeared
  • Finish – Bitter spice
  • Water – Even more bitter that without a drop or two, then mellows
  • Overall impression – While clearly young, has character and very interesting. Something a bit ‘different’ and while the tasting notes may not seem appealing, was actually quite lovely.
Unveiling – A Bruichladdich experiment with organic barley in a unpeated Islay – a very original choice!!
The Organic Scottish Barley (Whisky Lady)

The Organic Scottish Barley (Whisky Lady)

Official blurb about the expression:
  • In Victorian times, when Bruichladdich Distillery was built, all Scottish barley was organically grown. The relationship between distiller, farmer and soil was intimate and enduring. These ties were lost as industrialised farming cut through ancient synergies and an age of super efficient blandness was born.
  • In partnership with our organic farmers – Sir William Roberts of Mains of Tullibardine, William Rose at Mid Coull and Neil Scobie at Coulmore – we are rediscovering these synergies. We believe relationships matter. Once again, land and dram united.
  • Character – An elegant, composed and stylishly vibrant spirit that showcases the absolute finesse, purity, definition and elegance of organically grown barley.
  • Colour – Late summer barley
  • Nose – Opens on a light almond note with a twist of candied lemon. Followed by the magical aromatics of toasted barley, floral and fruit notes with a hint of lemon honey intermingling beautifully. Toffee sweetness comes from American oak cask and as the spirit opens little drifts of succulent papaya, melon and kiwi can be found.
  • Palate – The texture is sensational, the spirit gliding over the palate like warm syrup. The taste buds love the purity and the sensational clarity of flavours being presented. A real sweetness on the front palate, barley sugar, honey almonds, green jelly beans, pear drops all splashed with fresh lemons and balanced by the crispness of malted barley.
  • Finish – An intensity and definition of flavour that is unparalleled. Incredibly fresh giving an unforgettable palate experience that leaves the taste buds tingling and overwhelmed.
  • Mood – Mischievous. Coy, flirtatious, Lolita. A breast-surging, bodice ripper: breathlessly virtuous.
Am I the only one who finds this giggle-worthy whisky copy? I mean really, bodice ripper??

And this description doesn’t seem to bear much resemblance to our experience. Curiously a different organic expression (The Organic 2010 Multi-vintage) had identical notes… hmm…

I was reminded of my interview with Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie who shared:

I’ve had discussions with our marketing team with organic whisky as an option in response to the incessant demand for something different from the different channels, but our friends in marketing don’t like it. And I can understand where they are coming – if we market it as organic then does it make the rest of it ‘impure’ in compared to it? I have two minds. 

Other whiskies sampled in our August session included:
August Tasting Trio

August Tasting Trio (Whisky Lady)

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Bowmore Laimrig 15 year 54.4%

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Inspired by my digging out older tasting notes on the Bowmore 21 year, I cracked open the box of whisky samples brought back from Canada. This was one my aunt and uncle simply decided I needed to try!

As soon as I had a whiff, I understood why…

Bowmore (Hicklings)

Bowmore Laimrig 15 year (Hicklings)

Bowmore Laimrig 15 year 54.4% (Bottle 14,532 of 15,000)

Here is what I found:

  • Colour – Deep rich copper, almost brown
  • Nose – Resin, sweet almost spearmint, then hazelnuts, treacle, rum raisins, red cherries, minty flirtation merging into eucalyptus
  • Taste – Bursts on the palate with leather, smoked bacon, then roasted slightly bitter nuts, raisins come to the fore, some spices like crushing cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a mortar and pestle, a bit of tobacco… something else too.. chocolate?
  • Finish – A bit bitter, almost ashy, wine, sticks around for some time rather than dash off
  • Water – I was initially reluctant to try… but wow! Sweater, saltier, spicier yet also smoother and more rounded, warmed the cockles… plum notes, yummy chocolate on the palate, clear sherry wine finish
  • Overall – What I enjoy most was it never stayed still… beginning with the nose it shifts, evolves as it airs… then on sipping the palate also revealed different elements, unfolding at its own pace

The more I sipped, the more I appreciated it. The longer it aired, the more emerged. Exactly what I like to see in a whisky. What a treat to discover!

The Laimrig takes its inspiration from Bowmore’s stone pier where the distillery’s barley was once unloaded and their whiskies would travel the globe.

It is finished in Spanish sherry butts, is cask strength, non-chill filtered and intended to have a rich, dark character and colour.

Official tasting notes:

  • On the eye teak brown.
  • Breathe in sweet dark sherry, figs and cocoa balanced with smoky peatiness and a salty tang.
  • Sip a rich combination of chocolate, sherry, raisins and smoke.
  • Savour the long and lingering finish.

What others say:

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Bowmore 21 year 51.5%

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Bowmore is one of those distilleries our merry malt group has barely scratched the surface exploring. Naturally, we skipped past all the entry level Bowmore’s and went straight for the mighty 21 year!

Bowmore 21 year 51.5% (1988)

  • Colour – A distinctive ruby red – port cask?
  • Nose – Clear blue cheese or smoke cheese, a medicinal element
  • Taste – Very smooth, enveloped in smokiness, hint of ash and spiciness… a sense of age and richness
  • Finish – Long, strong,  smoky swirls
  • With water – While becomes much more bitter, paradoxically smoother too

As usual, we tasted blind and were delighted to learn we were spot on about the whisky being matured in Port Wood casks. This version of the Bowmore 21 was released in 2009 with 7,200 bottles.

While it had higher alcohol content than initially apparent, our initial reaction a reasonably enjoyable dram to sip and savour when in the mood for something of this character.

Bowmore 21 year

 

What caught me completely by surprise later is the current price tag… hovering around $400 – 550?

Now… I don’t know about you, but that’s getting into the steep territory and a price point where I demand something pretty exceptional. Though this is certainly a worthy dram, am not convinced it is worth such a price tag.

However it certainly wouldn’t dissuade me from trying more Bowmores… far from it. In fact… I have a Bowmore Laimrig 15 year awaiting its turn to be sniffed, sipped and considered.

In time, it will be interesting to see what Rachel Barrie, Master Blender for Morrison Bowmore has up her sleeve (nose?). “Miss Whisky” has an interesting feature on Ms Barrie who suggests those whisky drinkers who

“love savoury saltiness and smoky barbequed food (with a balanced sweetness), then Bowmore single Islay malt is for you.”

Would the 21 year fit this description? Yup… it would indeed.

The Bowmore was originally blind tasted in April 2014 along with:

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