SMWS Bowmore 15/17 2004 Sister Cask Side by Side: 3.314 “Loungecore stave exoticism” & 3.324 “Split personality”

 

Continuing the trend of a sister cask side by side to mark a 25th review. This is one I’ve been looking forward to for a while. At least one of these has had fantastic reviews both on reddit and elsewhere. The other is just a bit older. Plus the Islay festival release this year was made up of casks from the same distillation and was excellent, though was a bit too expensive to warrant a bottle. Enough of that, let’s get to the whisky.

Bowmore 15, 2004 Vintage, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 3.314, Islay Single Malt, 56.8% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on February 16, 2004, matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead for 14 years and finished in a 1st-fill STR barrique for a total 15 years aging yielding 246 bottles. This is part of the Lightly Peated flavor profile named “Loungecore stave exoticism” and was released for the Islay festival in 2020. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn with its sister cask 3.324.

Color: Auburn, polished mahogany; 1.5.

Nose: Fruit, toffee, carfamel, fruity, musty, all under an earthy, smoky “cloud.”

Taste: The nose sells it well. More emphasis on the fruit and must.

Finish: Charred wood, citrus peeks in a bit. Medium-long.

Superb.

Score: 90

Musical Evocation: Volbeat – “I Only Wanna Be With You”

Bowmore 17, 2004 Vintage, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 3.324, Islay Single Malt, 56% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on February 16, 2004, matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead for 14 years and finished in a 1st-fill STR barrique for a total 17 years aging yielding 251 bottles. This is part of the Lightly Peated flavor profile named “Split personality”. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn with its sister cask 3.314.

Color: Mahogany, henna notes; 1.6.

Nose: Similar to the other. It’s a bit punchier like vinegar (not in a bad way at all, just a slight nostril sting that you get from it), and it’s a bit industrial akin to Longrow.

Taste: Again much like what the nose promises, but adding some heat.

Finish: It drops off right away before working its way back. Chocolate-ish, salty (slight), musty and ashy. Medium-short.

Wow.

Score: 91

Musical Evocation: Tragedy – “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”

I decided my post-review commentary for each would just be the single word I wrote describing my overall impression and let that stand on its own. These are excellent. Very similar, yet different. 3.314 made me upset I waited this long to open it. 3.324 made me upset I passed on other sister casks. These are right up my ally, and are prime examples of the high regard people have for Bowmore IBs. With the blind Advent calendar starting tomorrow, it made me think about it a bit, and the 3.324, blind, I’d guess Longrow or Springbank. It’s hard to imagine a better pair to send me off into the Advent calendar full of hype and love for whisky.

Lagavulin 11 Offerman Edition Charred Oak Cask

 

Well, it looks like my hopes that this is a somewhat regular release from Lagavulin exploring slightly different things each time. And fortunately it’s not at too quick of a pace, though it’s about as regular as I’d want it. Whiskybase only has a 750ml version and I read this is a US only release (not confirmed though as the source wasn’t official) so I wonder what that means about how this sells in certain markets. Anyway, with the first two releases enjoyable enough, I plan to keep getting these knowing it’s not just a celebrity endorsement to sell sub-par stock, at least until that happens. Let’s see if it’s still a worthwhile release.

Lagavulin 11 Offerman Edition Charred Cask, Islay Single Malt, 46% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 11 years in casks which previously held either Scotch or wine and were shaved and re-charred. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Deep copper; 1.0.

Nose: Smoke, seaside. A touch of wine, then it’s masked by the smoke and sea. Honey, molasses, green wood. Maybe some citrus.

Taste: Smoked seafood/weed. Creosote. Some spice.

Finish: Nice musty smoke. Salty chocolate covered caramel. Wood spice. Medium, maybe erring in the medium-long direction.

Worthwhile indeed, at least where it’s priced near MSRP (I paid around $70 and think it’s fair). I’m definitely a fan and this is an excellent Lagavulin. It reminds me of some of the 12 year old special releases (disclaimer: not nearly the same presence due to the ABV). This feels like a really good one to wrap up reviewing before my side by side Bowmore review coming up in a couple days leading into this year’s Advent calendar.

Score: 87

Musical Evocation: Willie Nelson – “The Scientist”

Talisker 11 Lightly Peated Special Release 2022

I was keen on last year’s smokiest reserves release, but this year’s was just as intriguing, a step in the opposite direction. The hope is that the more lightly peated malt lets some other elements of the spirit come through or shine brighter than at their standard peat levels. Also, I like the jellyfish.

Talisker 11 Lightly Peated Special Release 2022, Island (Skye) Single Malt, 55.1% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 11 years in ex-bourbon and ex-wine casks and drawn from their least smoky stock. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Burnished; 1.1.

Nose: Appley malt. Subtle autumnal, woodsy notes. Mineraly and cured meat.

Taste: Smoke, spice, sweet.

Finish: Woody spices, chocolate.

This is very, very nice. This is up there. It doesn’t occupy the same tier as the 8 year old from 2018, but it’s one of my favorite Taliskers I’ve had, and another one I’m upset I only got 200ml of with a much smaller picture of a jellyfish than I’d have if I bought a full bottle. I really liked getting some of the malt coming through here that is presumably hidden by the peat in typical releases.

Score: 86

Musical Evocation: Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”

 

Lagavulin 12 Special Release 2022 Virgin Oak & Smokiest Reserves

 

Lagavulin 12 is the first whisky that ever really blew me away. It’s like I thought I knew peated whisky, and then I happened to order it at a bar. Also, I’ve been making a push and fiddling with my schedule to start getting in reviews of newer acquisitions closer to the time they release than I typically have been, so my reviews can help inform some decisions prior to the secondary market being the only source. Let’s get to it.

Lagavulin 12 Virgin Oak & Smokiest Reserves Special Release 2022, Islay Single Malt, 57.3% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 12 years at least partially in virgin oak casks and drawn from their smokiest reserves. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Old gold; 0.6.

Nose: Smoke, beach, sawdust, iodine. Grass, putty. Sweet petrichor.

Taste: Smoky shells. Earthy. There’s something real nice in that earthy area that builds as it opens up in your mouth. It piqued and maintained my interest bigtime.

Finish: Maritime and seafood. A sweetness. Medium-short.

While I didn’t explicitly need it, this is the kind of whisky that can rekindle a love for whisky (or kindle it, I suppose). As a person who dislikes seafood, I could have done with less of those elements, but even with that it’s still a fantastic dram. With my budget and storage having greatly reduced the rate that I acquire bottles of whisky, I was over the moon thrilled when the two special releases I wanted were available in 200ml bottles. I am now equally unthrilled I did not buy a bottle of this.

Score: 90

Musical Evocation: White Ward – “Stillborn Knowledge”

Glenturret 10 Peat Smoked 2020 Release

About a year or so ago, I began working with one of those people that…let’s just say she took the joy out of everything I loved even beyond the workplace, including whisky. Then I was super behind in my reviews and I finally got around to catching up and just after I got back into a groove with my reviews I had to take some antibiotics and couldn’t post for a bit. To be honest, with how far behind I was (I know it doesn’t make sense to have a schedule but that’s just how I am), catching up made reviewing whisky feel like a chore rather than something I enjoyed. But I did it and got back until that nagging cough derailed me. I’m hoping to get out these next six reviews (4 and a side by side for #375) before starting this year’s Advent calendar (something I’m always looking forward to) now that I’m feeling it again, and six is not so large a number that I’m hopeful it won’t become a chore again. 

Onto the whisky, this is just something I was rather curious in trying after going out on a limb with a handful of peated Glenturrets from the SMWS without having opened them yet. Figured it couldn’t hurt to get familiar with their standard expression from their revamped line. After trying one of those a couple weeks ago, I’m wondering whether Glenturret might be a bit of a ‘mainland Ledaig’ so let’s not waste any more time.

Glenturret 10 Peat Smoked 2020 Release, Highland Single Malt, 50% ABV

Minutia: All I know is that it’s made with peated malt and matured for 10 years. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Russet, Muscat; 1.3.

Nose: Musty, nutty, Sherry. Some smoke. Green wood.

Taste: Sweet smoke, some spice.

Finish: Real smoke. Nice sweet and spicy tang. Some nuttiness. Medium.

This is interesting. I like it more this time around versus the first few drams I’d poured. Particularly where the smoke comes in at the start of the finish and really makes itself known. That nuttiness was more prevalent than I’d like, as while it’s not objectionable, the fact that it’s not something I care for I think hides some on the nose for me. So, at it’s not quite on the same level as Ledaig, but it is nice, and it’s interesting, and the bottle choice was nice.

Score: 80

Musical Evocation: Children of Bodom – “Hate Crew Deathroll”