Jeff – 83

A light Islay whisky that has a fresh coastal character about it. A nice dram to enjoy during the summer. Not as complex as the other Islays' but a good dram none the less.

Glen – 85

I've always been a big Bowmore fan. Bowmore is a great whisky to start with if you new to Islays. This dram has that trademark peaty Bowmore taste and a nice sweetness to balance it out.

Nose: peat, cigarette ash
Body: Firm
Finish: Intense while it lasts, the peat sticks to your mouth, some light smoke

A great peaty dram that's not too intense

Jeff – 79

A nice Islay whisky with out the heavy price. A bit young with a sharp body. I like to add a splash of water to this one and enjoy.

Glen – 81

I'm a Bowmore fan and I wasn't let down by this one. A good young peaty dram that can be found for under $20.00 (I bought my bottle for $16.00). Not as complex as the the 12 year old but it still has that great peaty Bowmore finish. A great bargain and very good for an 8 year old whisky.

Nose: Young, some light smoke and peat
Body: Light, hot, a little untamed
Finish: Nice peaty finish that's not as long as the 12 year old but still measures up

A good cheap date.

Jeff – 85

This is a nice bottle of whisky but I don't see what Glen is all excited about. I will admit I'm a speyside sherry fan, so I was pretty exited to try this whisky for the first time. It has a winey, nutty fresh nose with a sweet woody aroma. The body and palate was very nice, chewy creamy and the finish was very delicate smooth and long.

A nice whisky but just missing that wow factor for me.

Glen – 89

This is one great dram, but I'm a sucker for Bowmore. This is one of the best in their standard range. The sherry is balanced perfectly with the Islay peat and smoke. The perfect marriage of beauty and the beast (sorry I couldn't help it). The underlining spirit could have been aged longer but the sherry pulls it through nicely. If they used a slightly older whisky this dram would go from good to great. A well balanced treat.

Nose: Oloroso sherry, oaky, peat smoke, fresh, caramel
Body: Syrupy, mouth filling, wonderful
Finish: Long, sweet and slightly drying, subtle smoke

A beautiful combination of peat smoke and oloroso sherry.

Jeff – 90
Editor's Pick Spring 2008

I had the pleasure, and it was a pleasure, to taste the new Black Bowmore 1964, aged 42 years. It was one of the top 5 whiskies I've tried in the last 6 months. The first thing that struck me was how different this whisky was. The nose was ripe with exotic fruit (mangoes, papayas) with an old feel to it that was surprisingly very fresh. What makes this whisky so unique is, it was aged in walnut (yes, walnut) sherry casks. The taste was silky -- not oily nor heavy, just perfect, with no hint of smoke from this Islay, but with a sexy lingering finish. It's like you're in the Caribbean on the beach, listening to steel drums with a beautiful island girl sitting next to you. WOW!

The whisky, I feel, is almost underpriced.

Glen –

Brett – 85

Ah…an Islay. And a nice old one at that, though you wouldn't know it from the freshness of the nose – very pretty. There is also licorice and light sherry, but what predominates is a profound Bowmore smokiness, specifically salami and smoked summer sausages. The body on this dram continues the "chewy" theme, being beautifully full-bodied. This Bowmore's finish was not nearly as big as the nose, though it did still have a level of smokiness to it, along with old sherry and a slight mustiness, and (possibly) too much oak. Still, nice to see how some extra time in the cask can change a classic whisky.

Glen – 83

An ancient Bowmore from Signatory that's big on sherry and light on peat and smoke. The sherry on the nose was not overdone and hints of fudge and burnt caramel that only come from whiskies aged for long periods in high quality sherry casks. The sherry still did maintain some fresh notes and didn't come off tired. This dram was nice enough but lacked that wow factor that you would demand from such an old and surely expensive malt.

Nose: Big sherry, fudge, burnt caramel, A nice freshness despite it's age
Body: Full, mouth coating
Finish: Long, dry and smoky, sherry and oak

Nice.

Jeff –

Glen –75

An ancient Bowmore reminded us more of an after dinner cordial then a single malt. The dram was dominated but nectarines and peaches and retained very little of its Islay characteristics. A unique dram that would be a nice accompaniment to desert.

Nose: Nectarines, overripe peaches, light smoke, peach schnapps
Body: Light
Finish: Very short, peaches and nectarines, peach schnapps

Best enjoyed with desert

Jeff –

Glen – 77

A very different Bowmore (until the next one we tried) that came off sweeter and lighter than the distillery bottled drams we're used too. I enjoyed the nose that had hints of smoke, must and coconut. The body was light while the finish had a sweet smoky flavor. We also picked up grape soda of all things. I love Bowmore but this one may be a little too adventurous for me.

Nose: Light smoke, must, coconut, light peat, cooked vegetables
Body: Light
Finish: Fresh, sweet smoke, dry, grade soda, unique

Sweet and different.

Jeff –

Glen – 88

A very comforting and flavorful Bowmore that grows on you after each sip. It definitely gave up its secrets slowly. The nose was rich with hints of leather, dark chocolate and orange peel. Had a medium soft mouthfeel and a rich smoky explosion for a finish. Well done and a great Bowmore.

Nose: Leather, dark chocolate, orange peel, overripe fruit
Body: Medium mouthfeel and soft
Finish: Medium length and a rich explosion of fruit and smoke, warming

A dram you didn't want to end.

Jeff –

Glen – 77

Can this whisky live up to all the hype and anticipation I had built up in my mind? That's what I was thinking as a sat down to sample this rare and pricy dram? Let's just say I was a wee bit disappointed. My co-taster expounded on all the fruit, fruit, fruit but what he failed to mention was a bitter orange finish and unpleasant peach aftertaste. Not fresh peaches mind you but peach hard candy, and who the heck likes peach candy? NOT ME! The nose was by far the best part of this dram with dried apricots, leather, a touch of ash and peat. The body was silky smooth but the finish really ruined what was up to that point a good date.

Nose: Big and robust, dried apricots, peat, pencil shavings, ash, leather
Body: Silky smooth
Finish: Long, bitter orange, peat, unpleasant peach aftertaste

A big let down.