Bowmore
The oldest distillery on Islay, with smoke that is gentler than that of the south coast. Everything about the 12, 15 and 18 Years, the taste and the glass to use with them.
The oldest distillery on Islay
Bowmore has stood on Loch Indaal, in the village of the same name, since 1779, making it the oldest distillery on Islay. It is also one of the few in Scotland that still has its own maltings: some of the barley is germinated on the floor and dried over peat fires, exactly as it was done everywhere in the past.
Bowmore's smoke is prominent but less heavy than that of the distilleries on the south coast. Beneath it lies a second layer that you rarely encounter so clearly in other Islay whiskies: tropical fruit, mango and peach, especially in the older bottlings. The oldest casks rest in No. 1 Vaults, a warehouse whose floor lies below sea level and whose walls border the surf.
In brief
What types of Bowmore are there?
Bowmore 12 Years
The distillery's classic reference: smoke, lemon and sea salt with honey underneath. More approachable than the heavily peated Islay whiskies.
Bowmore 9 Years
Younger and prominently matured in sherry casks. Smoke with dried fruit and chocolate; a good introductory bottle.
Bowmore 15 Years
Twelve years in ex-bourbon casks followed by three years in Oloroso sherry casks. Dark, full-bodied and sweet, with smoke and dried fruit.
Bowmore 18 Years
Eighteen years, during which the smoke recedes and tropical fruit comes forward. Mango, dark chocolate and soft peat.
Bowmore 21 Years Sherry Cask
Aged for twenty-one years in sherry casks and bottled at 46.8% ABV. The bottle for those who want the full picture: smoke, sherry, and ripe fruit in one.
The 12 Years is the logical first bottle; the 15 is the step up.
Smoke, sea salt, and tropical fruit
Peat smoke & sea air
Peat smoke with sea salt and lemon zest, followed by honey and a hint of tropical fruit. Less tarry than Islay's south coast.
Round and lightly salty
Smoke and sea salt up front, with honey, citrus, and a sweet core. The sherry casks also bring dried fruit and chocolate.
Long and saline
A long finish with smoke, salt, and a light sweetness. Warm rather than sharp.
Flavor profile of Bowmore 12 Years. The 15 and 9 are sweeter because of the sherry; the 21 scores higher in intensity. For comparison: Lagavulin rates 5/5 for smokiness.
Three ways to drink Bowmore
Bowmore is the most approachable of the peated Islay whiskies, making it the only one you can also mix with comfortably.
Neat at room temperature
4 cl in a tulip-shaped tasting glass. Let it stand for a minute before smelling it: the smoke comes first, followed by sea salt, and only then the honey and fruit underneath.
Glass: tasting glass →With a few drops of water
Two to three drops of cold water open up the whisky and push the smoke slightly into the background. This is especially noticeable with the 21 Years at 46.8%.
Glass: tasting glass →As a Penicillin
50 ml blended whisky with lemon and honey-ginger syrup, shaken and strained, with a 10 ml float of Bowmore 12 on top. Bowmore's softer smoke works better here than a heavy Islay.
Penicillin recipe →Cocktails with Bowmore
Peated whisky in a cocktail is all about dosage: a float or a small portion of the base is enough.
Penicillin
Whisky, lemon, honey, and ginger with a smoky float on top.
Smoky Old Fashioned
Whisky, sugar, and bitters over a large ice cube, with a portion of peated whisky.
Smoky Sour
Whisky, lemon, sugar, and egg white. The smoke gives the sour depth.
Hot Toddy
Whisky with hot water, honey, lemon and cloves. Smoke and honey belong together.The right glass for Bowmore
A tulip-shaped tasting glass concentrates the smoke and fruit below; a heavy tumbler is for whisky on the rocks. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Bowmore
Can't find your question here? View our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
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