Bowmore 12 Year Old Whisky
Slowly…perhaps too slowly…I’m making my way through Islay. What began as a journey I never thought I’d take has me now visiting each one. Through their whisky, of course. It’ll be a few years before I can get there in person.
Bowmore - as it’s been known since 1892 - has been around since at least 1779, making it the oldest distillery on Islay and one of the oldest Scotch distilleries on record. As per the Bowmore website, locals allege distilling was taking place a good decade before that first mention, so we’re looking at a very old distillery.
It’s easy enough to say that Islay malts are all smoky, medicinal, iodine/bandaid-forward, but even a light scrape to the surface reveals much more complexity than that between distilleries. Some are heavier or lighter, more smoky, more or less maritime (think sea salt), some are completely unpeated. Each distillery holds its own profile within the spectrum of the nine (soon to be ten) on the island. If you needed more proof of those differences, see the avid following that splits between Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, and the rest and see how varied the overlaps are.
Bowmore’s profile to me is one of grilled fruits and vegetables with a strong charcoal/ash component. Grilled pineapple is a summertime favorite of mine, and a pleasant note that I wasn’t expecting. The transition from grilled fruit to a charred-skin bell pepper manages to turn fruit to vegetation with a through-line of that ashy, charred character.
This particular dram’s downfall is it’s mouthfeel, unfortunately. It lacks the oiliness of its competitors (at the entry-level bottling, at least) and feels watered down. The scents and flavor promised by the nose is ultimately unfulfilled, with the mouthfeel too weak to carry them through with any serious heft. It is a shame, since the flavors themselves are intriguing and unique. It’s a fine pour, but not for me. Thankfully, the profile is interesting enough that I look forward to trying more from the line.
Bowmore 12 Year Old Whisky: Specs
Classification: Islay Single Malt Whiskey
Origin: Bowmore Distillery
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 80 (40% ABV)
Age: 12 Years Old
Location: Islay, Scotland
Bowmore 12 Year Old Whisky Price: $54
Bowmore 12 Year Old Whisky Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Bronzed honey. No rims, few droplets hang onto the glass.
Nose: Spicy, peppery smoke that’s not overly maritime or medicinal. Sweet smoke with stewed date syrup and charcoal embers. Grilled pineapple. A little maritime feel comes in after some air.
Palate: Ashy embers with some astringency under the tongue. Cooling sensation without any mint or menthol. Grilled fruits, pineapple in particular, slightly minty after all. Mouthfeel is silky but light, still pepper but also less astringent. Less complex than the nose. Grilled peppers with charred skins.
Finish: Vegetal and herbaceous, light yet coating for a few seconds before dissipating.
Overall: The nose is great, but the palate, mouthfeel, and finish all feel watered down and thin. It’s a shame because the profile was distinct from other Islays, with a grilled fruit and vegetable note to go along with ashy charcoal.
Final Rating: 5.2
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label Batch 4 or 2, Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Stagg Jr. Batch 10, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
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