Whisky Review: Bowmore Hand-Filled Single Cask #32161 2015 Aged 17 Years

Style: Fragrant and Maritime Peat

Nose:

Dynamic fragrance, beautiful ripe garden berries in the form of balmy candle, deep tobacco leaves impressions, followed by a dash of iodine and sea salt. Maritime influence taking over at deep. Distinct seaweed, mineral touches as blurry vanilla and malt lying underneath.

Palate:
Massive sweetness with a twinge of dryness on the palate. Dark cherries and chocolate notes semi-melded with blade-sharp spices. More tobacco leaves, tea leaves, orange chocolate and spearmint giving a deeper, sweet fragrance. Hidden red grapes. Slightly nutty touch at the tail, rounding off nicely with a subtle, ashy peat smoke. A swift ginger zing while a drying sea breeze faintly fluttering.

Finish:
Ginger shreds and menthol with dark chocolate. Sooty, but also a dab of medicinal peat to give a semi-drying finish.

Thoughts:
Personally, I look for a delicate balance between fragrant fruity notes and maritime peat while I drink Bowmore. This Bordeaux wine cask has achieved it beautifully. This dram has also displayed a richer and deeper side of Bowmore. While I haven’t come across a lot of wine casks-matured whiskies too often, but I think the synergy between the distillate and the cask is very interesting. Delicious. 

[57.3% • 2015 • Original Bottling • Single Cask • Cask Strength • Limited Edition • Cask Number: 32161 • First-fill Bordeaux Wine Cask • *]

☆ [Recommended] 

-Esmond