Tag Archives: Bowmore

Bowmore 16 year “The Prestonfield” Vintage 1972 43%

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The more we explore the remarkable range of whiskies out there, the more we push into sometimes quite rare territory. Even expensive territory. And yet even highly acclaimed and coveted drams can sometimes lose their lustre. Old + rare + pricy doesn’t always = mind blowingly brilliant!

And every once in a while it is good to have that reminder.

After the truly dangerously drinkable and most enjoyable Bowmore 12 year distilled in the 1970s, we were primed to be transported to celestial levels with “The Prestonfield” vintage 1972 aka Bowmore 16 year.

Yet what did we find…..?

Bowmore 16 year “The Prestonfield” Vintage 1972 (28 Feb 1972-1988), Sherry Wood, CS No 1036 – 1039, Bottle no 9861, 43%

  • Nose – Phenoylic, like walking into an old Scottish hotel with the scents of an old rug, worn leather chair with a fireplace burning (promising but uni-dimensional)
  • Palate – Soot – like sacred ash mixed with camphor, a weird peculiar ‘queerness’ like carbolic soap
  • Finish – Limited, with an almost tallow or lard-like quality – I kid you not!

So here is the thing. The nose was promising once past the carbolic acid, an initial sip was sooty yet bland, then had a strongly ‘off’ quality. I’ll admit. I made a face. Both times I sipped. Even a bit on the 3rd when I was braced for it and ready for something decidedly different. Something like the tallow from animal fat used to make candles, that had gone slightly rancid. The most complimentary description I could think of was raw bitter chokecherries.

I had to admit it didn’t work for me and tried to understand why Prestonfield whiskies are so highly rated if this was an example. What about that strange, frankly to me quite awful tasting quality, that makes it be deemed ‘good’? Just because it is rare? Costs a lot? Sorry. Doesn’t cut it for me.

Speculation turned to whether this bottle could have gone off – yet there was no rust on the cap and the miniature was opened just before we tasted. So…?

Who knows. Perhaps something had indeed gone wrong between when initially bottled and our opening… after all, nearly 30 years had passed. Or perhaps there was some small drop of something else that got into the bottle when originally filled that turned it queer over the years. Or even still, it could be that much more discerning palates than mine found something remarkable in what to me was unusual – to the extent of being not enjoyable.

Do I regret trying it? Absolutely not! Would I be tempted to try again? Perhaps… just to see if something happened to this particular miniature that was not representative of the original whisky. But not enough to put a lot of effort into tracking it down.

This 5 ml bottle was purchased by Krishna Nakula for £35. On Whisky-OnlineAuctions.com, the last available miniature’s bid closed at £45 in February 2015.

What do we know about Prestonfield whiskies? Here’s what La Maison du Whisky shares:

The Prestonfield range of whiskies is without doubt one of the most well-known among connoisseurs, and yet few people are aware of its origins. Created in the 1980s by the Symington brothers, the famous label with the drawing of the Prestonfield Hotel is now available exclusively through La Maison du Whisky. The whiskies selected for this range have always been some of the best but, from 2000, the decision was made to bottle them all at cask strength from a single cask. Almost exclusively single malts, these whiskies are extremely sought after, and often appear at the major auctions.

What else did we sample in our Krishna Collection from July 2017?

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A remarkable 1970s Bowmore 12 year 40%

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Much has been said about how whisky styles have changed over the decades. That opinion is widely shared by those who started their sampling journey in the 1980s where most single malts were distilled in the 1970s or earlier. Yet most of these impressions remain in memories rather than the opportunity to test the theory.

Today, obtaining a sample of such earlier styles is challenging… most are found in private collections or auctions. Which is where this lovely little Bowmore 12 year miniature from the 1970s came. A wee dark coloured squat bottle that simply stated its age, alcohol strength and that it was matured in sherry casks. No hint of further details as this was simply a standard issue bottling for its time.

Bowmore 12 year (1970s – 80s) 40%

  • Nose – Hing (asafetida), pomelo, passion fruit vying with grapefruit, smoke and peat yet quite restrained, subtle, as it continued to open more fruit like cashew, pineapple and mango
  • Palate – Just as hing was the 1st predominant aroma, cashew fruit was on the palate, intensely sweet and dangerously drinkable with just a kiss of peat, brilliant body for a 12 year as it really sits on your palate
  • Finish – Peaty, leather, chocolate

This may sound a bit fanciful, but it had a joyful character on the nose, bright and fruity, superbly accessible and enjoyable on the palate with peat most pronounced in the rather delicious finish.

Like the Glen Grant 60 year old just sampled, this Bowmore was matured in sherry casks – but clearly of a different calibre and character than today’s sherry. Again, much more restrained overall, even the peat quality was faint – leading to speculation of re-fill sherry casks and curiosity about how the “barely there” peat quality came into play.

It truly was such a contrast in style to any Bowmore sampled in the last few years – which are often quite bold in character. Whereas this wasn’t clamouring for attention by swaggering into our senses, instead gained exclamations of “Fantastic! Stunning! Superb!” for its much more nuanced dimensions.

For some, it was the clear favourite of the evening – no simple feat given its competition!

Krishna shared his opinion that this Bowmore 12 year has all the “beauty of the old style.”

He went on to regale us with the tale of the term “FWP” (French Whore’s Perfume) used to describe a shift in character – particularly pronounced from Bowmore post Suntory coming into the picture for a few years. First detected by some whisky enthusiasts, they identified a peculiar soapy quality that they felt ruined the whisky… later linked to the soap used to clean the stills!

Since corrected, another Malt Maniac Serge shares:

The original ‘problem’ originated in the 1980’s and was corrected at some point during the 1990s. The FWP spirit sort of worked its way through the system and you shouldn’t detect the unsavoury FWP trait any more in bottlings that were released in recent years.

This 5 ml bottle was purchased by Krishna Nakula for £8. For those interested, a 740ml bottle could be found on Whisky.Online.com for a mere £450.

Whisky.Online.com

What else did we sample in our Krishna Collection from July 2017?

PS you can contrast my sampling of a more recent incarnation of the Bowmore 12 year here.

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Bowmore Travel Trilogy – 17 year White Sands 43%

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Last in our Bowmore travel trilogy was the 17 year “White Sands.”

I’d picked this bottle up in Singapore duty free back when it was 1st launched. It was one of my “speed date” sample that lead to a clear “buy” decision! And since then I’ve been patiently waiting to open the bottle with our Whisky Ladies.

Bowmore 17 year White Sands 43%

  • Nose – Rich vanilla, citrus orange, honey almonds, very floral, raspberry treacle, light peat smoke, chocolate coffee then cotton candy
  • Palate – Spices, light creamy toffee, cloves, quite a delicious curl of peat, nice and chewy without being heavy, smooth as silk
  • Finish – A long lingering sweet spice with a bitter cinnamon tail

And what did the Whisky Ladies really think?? We LOVED it!

We found it was one of those whiskies that says – “Pull up a nice comfy chair, curl up and pay attention to me. Trust me, you absolutely will not regret!”

There is something quite sophisticated about this whisky. One mentioned ballgowns and tuxedos about to take a twirl on the dance floor…. that spins into a seduction!

For others it was just nice to settle down with an amiable whisky with multiple dimensions. The nose especially has such a lovely range of aromas, it is delicious to sip and savour, with a surprisingly long finish. In short – ticks the right boxes!

Here is what the Bowmore folks have to say about this whisky:

“Inspired by Islay’s pristine white beaches.”

Islay’s coast line boasts seven miles of pristine white beaches and has been the inspiration for White Sands. Matured for seventeen long years, this is Bowmore Master Distiller’s personal favourite. Matured in the finest ex Bourbon casks, the treacle toffee and ripe exotic fruits bound together by warm peat smoke.

  • Nose: Light peat smoke, rich treacle toffee and ripe exotic fruits
  • Taste: Creamy toffee and malty sweetness, together with a delicious warm smokiness
  • Finish: The incredibly smooth, warm and comforting finish

In this case, we would agree with the tasting notes… and of the three whiskies, there was zero doubt which was our favourite! In terms of the three, Black Rock is the most readily available. While not a bad whisky, it unfortunately is outclassed by the other two. Gold Reef may be slightly more challenging to find. And White Sands? Excellent value for a beautifully balanced whisky with enough character to keep you well engaged! It is certainly one to recommend to those who enjoy their whisky with a bit of smoky sweetness.

So while it was long after the initial launch, it was still fun to explore the Bowmore ‘travel trilogy‘:

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Bowmore Travel Trilogy – Gold Reef 43%

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Next up in our Bowmore travel trilogy was another NAS – Gold Reef.

This particular bottle was acquired on my partner‘s trip to Beirut, Lebanon on behalf of our host – a fellow theatre actor. Since last year we have impatiently waited for an opportunity to bring our trilogy together…

And what did the Whisky Ladies think?

Bowmore Gold Reef 43%

  • Nose – Treacle, apple, summery caramel, toasted coconut, marzipan, with tropical fruits. As it opened, particularly after sipping, a delicious maple syrup joined some peat with sweet vanilla and hint of spice
  • Palate – Peat, citrus, heat, bitter chocolate, a bit of dry wood
  • Finish – The heat opens up revealing honey sweet, cinnamon then after a few more sips settles into a bitter finish

We found it very inviting on the nose, the palate was such a contrast – in a good way. The finish remains.

Here is what the Bowmore folks have to say about this whisky:

“Inspired By The Sun’s Reflection On Islay’s Coral Seabed.”

Further out to sea and deep beneath the waves lies Gold Reef. Named for the way the glow of the sun’s rays reflect off the coral seabed, this same old catches the eye inside every bottle of Gold Reef. Predominately matured in 1st fill ex-bourbon casks, it rewards with notes of smooth vanilla, citrus fruits and sea salt.

  • Nose: Vanilla, coconut milk, delicious baked peach, oranges and lemons
  • Taste: Tangy peat, pineapple, juicy mango and kiwi fruit tempered by sea salt and olive oil
  • Finish: The long, honeyed, zesty finish

Not so sure about the kiwi fruit or olive oil but certainly the balance is more or less what we found!

Our Bowmore ‘travel trilogy‘ evening included:

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on:

Bowmore Travel Trilogy – Black Rock 40% Revisited

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1st in our Bowmore travel trilogy was an NAS whisky we sampled a few months earlier – Black Rock.

The original bottle helped inspire the Bowmore Travel Trilogy theme… as one of our ladies happened to acquire it at the same time I picked up the White Sands. However when another whisky lady picked up the very same one, it gave us an opportunity to try it in one of our “Contributor’s Choice” evenings a little earlier and revisit it side-by-side with two other Bowmores – what fun!

Bowmore Black Rock 40%

And what did the Whisky Ladies think the 2nd time around?

  • Nose – Smoked fruit, dried prunes, sun-dried currents and cranberries, burnt orange, roasted almond, a puff of smoke
  • Palate – Sweet spice, smooth peat, bit of cloves, that hint of smoke carried through
  • Finish – Cinnamon sweet, there but barely

Overall a simple straight forward whisky. We found the nose more exciting than the palate. Easy to drink though some found it a little sweet.

How did this contrast with our earlier tasting experience?

  • Nose – Initially sour curd, warm and wintry, intense and then closed, light peat, then strong sour cherry, raisins spice toasted nuts
  • Palate – Well… clearly into 40% territory here… however once we got past the ‘watered down’ dimension enjoyed the smoky, cherry and other tight dried berries, sweet dry spices
  • Finish – Much fainter than expected – just a touch of sweetness, smoke and spice

Here is what the Bowmore folks have to say about this whisky:

“Inspired by the Black Rock of Islay.”
  • Nose – Smoke infused with raisins, pepper, warm cocoa beans and burnt orange
  • Taste – Rich sherry and peat smoke followed by blackcurrant treacle toffee and cinnamon spice
  • Finish – Beautifully balanced peat smoke and sea salt

Our Bowmore ‘travel trilogy’ evening included:

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on:

Bowmore Travel Trilogy – Black Rock, Gold Reef, White Sands

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As Whisky Ladies, we enjoy celebrating the contributions of whisky women to the industry.

Rachel Barrie has a career that started with the Glenmorangie team, gaining experience to become a whisky creator and master blender for The Glenmorangie, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Moet Hennessy (LVMH) before joining Morrison Bowmore Distillers, Beam Suntory in 2011. As Master Blender, she described “Islay is my escape. There’s part of me that’s a free spirit and very elemental.”

As Whisky Ladies, we thought it rather apt to have a session featuring whiskies where a professional Whisky woman was involved!

So we set about early 2016 to collectively acquire a ‘travel trilogy’ from Bowmore with:

For once, it was surprisingly easy to buy… the trick turned out to be finding an evening when all three ladies who purchased the bottles were `free on the same night!

This finally happened in April 2017… by which time Rachel Barrie had changed jobs and joined BenRiach and Glendronach Distillery Company as Whisky Maker.

Didn’t matter to us – we toasted her in spirit anyways!

Other Bowmore‘s tasted over the years include:

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Bowmore 12 year 40%

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When I spotted this bottle, I knew the Whisky Ladies were already gearing up for a special Bowmore session. So thought why not take a sample to compare…

However as the months went by, our Bowmore Travel Trilogy evening kept getting delayed. And there was no way I wanted this sample to suffer neglect!

Before I begin, part of the curiosity about having an evening dedicated to Bowmore distillery for our Whisky Ladies is that it just so happens to be lead by a woman master distiller – Rachel Bowie. With only a few notable women in the industry, it seemed only fitting that we focus our attention on at least one!

And now… what did I think of the classic 12 year?

Bowmore 12

Bowmore 12 year 40%

  • Nose – Sweet citrus with a hint of sweet leather with a curl of smoke.
  • Palate – A tingle of peat with a nice chewy quality, lots of oak and some sweet spices thrown in for good measure – particularly clove
  • Finish – More dry spices and a hint of bitter chocolate

Overall it was a treat to enjoy a solid Bowmore dram.

Other Bowmore’s sampled include:

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on:

Whisky Ladies with Bowmore Black Rock 40%

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The Whisky Ladies ‘contributors choice session‘ followed the GlenDronach with one of master blender Rachel Barrie‘s Bowmore travel trilogy.

This whisky was acquired some time ago by one of our whisky ladies who shared how much she enjoys Bowmore’s approach to bringing together peat and sherry sweet to create a consistent Islay treat.

Black Rock specifically is named for the Black Rock of Islay that can be seen from the Bowmore distillery rising out of Loch Indaal.

bowmore-black-rock

What did the ladies think?

  • Nose – Initially sour curd, warm and wintry, intense and then closed, light peat, the strong sour cherry, raisins spice toasted nuts
  • Palate – Well… clearly into 40% territory here… however once we got past the ‘watered down’ dimension enjoyed the smoky, cherry and other tight dried berries, sweet dry spices
  • Finish – Much fainter than expected – just a touch of sweetness, smoke and spice

In our glass comparison, the Norlan was able to pull out more from the Bowmore – giving it a richer, sweeter quality. Whereas the Glencairn exposed more of the ‘watered down’ 40% dimension.

And what do the folks over at Bowmore have to say?

  • Breathe In: smoke infused with raisins, pepper, warm cocoa beans and burnt orange
  • Sip: rich sherry and peat smoke followed by blackcurrant treacle toffee and cinnamon spice
  • Savour: beautifully balanced peat smoke and sea salt

Our Whisky Ladies experimental evening also featured:

For more related updates and activities, check out:

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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