I like Bowmore probably a bit more than the average person (not talking about IBs, those are almost universally well liked), so a quite old one with some Sherry casks involved is something I can get behind. This is super expensive for a bottle, unfortunately, as can be expected with something this old, so there’s no way I’d buy it without trying and it’s not very common at bars so I consider myself lucky this was available as a sample dram, with it very possible that will be the only way I get to drink it at all. Let’s see how it is.
Minutia: Matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Spanish Sherry casks. It’s unclear if it’s finished or if some number of casks of each type held the spirit for the whole 25 years, but Bowmore’s wording suggests the latter to me. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.
Color: Burnt umber, 1.7.
Nose: Fruit, oak, floral fruitness.
Taste: Light, thin, minor heat. Cherry, malt, honey.
Finish: Smoky, malty, medium-short.
Guess: Bowmore 9 Sherry.
Woah, close yet so far. This is the first time in this blind calendar that I’m seeing the reveal kind of affect me. Initially, I thought the oakiness was maybe from a harsher, younger spirit in a newer cask mixed with some heavily Sherried spirit to make something palatable. After the reveal, the oakiness and Sherry influence make sense to have come from tremendous age in less active casks. My score stands as it was before, and it’s not a bad one as I did enjoy this whisky, I just think it was worth mentioning that I think I may have given myself a bias thinking it was a younger attempt to move some casks. The only weak part of this is on the initial contact with the mouth. It does not feel terribly thick. It’s clearly thicker than water, but not by much. I think even a slight increase in proof to 46%, up to as much as maybe 50%, would take this a to another level (or above). I think at that proof I’d have been better able to appreciate that malty, cherry flavor, and the finish would have been more pleasing. Not sure about the nose, but I’d guess the casks influence would be a tiny bit stronger from the lack of proofing down.
Score: 79
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