Bowmore 1968 / 2000 Signatory Vintage Cask 1422
OOoh finally. Old one. Bowmore isn’t one I’ve had in some time.
I once had a 17yo OB from the Changi duty free, which was ahem perfumed, but not overly so. In fact, I quite enjoyed its sweet peat and floral perfumed-ness.
We’re way back in history with this 1968 though, and I don’t think it could even be called the same ‘distillery’ anymore – everything in 1968 was still done traditionally: floor malting, fermentation, coal fire, worm condensers, all of which have been modernized today. So wonderful chance to try something they just don’t make anymore.
Suntory bought Bowmore in 1994, so today, along with sisters Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch. With the very recent purchase of Beam Inc, Suntory will also own Laphroaig and Ardmore. Some very very fine distilleries there. (2 on Islay!)
Bowmore 1968 / 2000 Signatory Vintage Cask 1422 ‘matured in an oak cask for 32 years’
distilled 27.2.68, bottled 25.8.2000, bottle 87 of 236, 46%
Nose: So so so fruity, absolutely bursting with juicy fruit. mango, lemon peel, grapefruit, ‘bright’ flavours. Absolutely rounded nose without any hard edges, and now a whiff of smoke, and cedar wood. 32 years? Doesn’t show – not anywhere near over oaked. I can think of 15 year olds with more oak. Ok clear fresh resin, poached pears and marzipan. Brown wrapping paper. So different, lost in time. I’ll bet it was a tired old hogshead.
Palette: Fruity again! Round and complex. Voluptuously sweet! Refreshing fruit juice. It’s not heavy, in fact rather on the light side but so perfect. Wax paper, touch of peatsmoke, green tea. Ok some creaminess too. And the fruit doesn’t want to go way, it’s there on the tip of the tongue and roof of the mouth. Quite salivating actually. No wonder this era of Bowmore is held in such high esteem. I swear its mango passionfruit yoghurt on the tongue.
Finish: Long, and fruit fruit fruit. Bit of salt now. Ah peatsmoke.
Seriously excellent whisky, ignoring it’s old school-ness. Fantastic fruitiness. Seriously, I did a bottle share for this. But I wish I maybe didn’t now.
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