Bowmore 15 Year Old “The Darkest” Single Malt Whisky

Jan 18

When I tried the Bowmore 12 Year Old, I wasn’t a huge fan. It was definitely Islay, but also distinct, favoring charcoal and an ashiness over either a medicinal or maritime peat profile. Reading over my own notes (yes, I do that, and it’s a good practice!), my takeaway wasn’t that I disliked the profile - it wasn’t my favorite Islay, but it wasn’t objectively bad - it was that the proofing down hurt the whisky inside more than anything else about the pour. With no finish to bolster the flavors, I was left with a watery, malty ‘meh’.

This was considerably different. Aged in both ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry and at just a few proof points higher, this was a more complex and satisfying dram by several strides. Some single malts can stand on their own without needing a boost - it’s my opinion that Bowmore needs something extra to really push it forward, comparing the 12 year old to this.

A note about the name: Bowmore is owned by Beam-Suntory, which changed up the Bowmore lineup by announcement 2017 and in practice in 2019. As such, the “Darkest” label on the Bowmore 15 was dropped, but to my knowledge no other change was made to the whisky.

Price-wise, this is still a solid pickup. Since this review is technically for the “Darkest”, the price is N/A, but the Bowmore 15’s current iteration is around $100 give or take $10 depending where you are. This places it squarely on the good side of the $10/year line. If you enjoy Bowmore and enjoy sherry, this is a can’t miss. Since Bowmore isn’t my favorite, I’ll pass, but don’t let me deter you from a reliable, fruity pour.

Bowmore 15 Year Old “The Darkest” Single Malt Whisky: Specs

Classification: Islay Single Malt Whiskey

Origin: Bowmore Distillery

Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: 15 Years Old

Location: Islay, Scotland

Bowmore 15 Year Old “The Darkest” Single Malt Whisky Price: $100

Official Website

Bowmore 15 Year Old “The Darkest” Single Malt Whisky Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Gorgeous mahogany/cherrywood hue. Medium rims and thick syrupy legs.

Nose: Bright red fruit, sweet and acidic, underlying sea salt and a hint of vegetation. Maple syrup over caramelizing plums. The smoke comes out of nowhere to join the flavor combo. Well-balanced and enticing.

Palate: Oh yeah - everything comes together here. Bright red fruit, cola syrup, a touch of astringency with peppercorn and the peat smoke rolling in. Evolving and complex. Mouthfeel is syrupy, not heavy but more full than the other Bowmore expressions I’ve had. Pepper grows on the tip of my tongue with more wood and peat smoke building to a crescendo all over.

Finish: The smoke lacquers the whole palate with the oloroso-driven red fruits on top. Delicious, a great long finish where the malt, smoke, and oloroso all play nicely.

Overall: A totally different profile than I’ve had before from Bowmore. Balanced, flavorful, coating, and complex. I don’t love the Bowmore core profile, but there’s enough Oloroso to balance it out and make everything more than the sum of its parts.

Final Rating: 7.6

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 | Has promise but needs work

1-3 | Let’s have a conversation