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  • bowmore cask strength

    Bowmore Cask Strength 79
    Distillery
    Bowmore
    Style
    Single Malt
    Release
    Unspecified
    Age
    Unspecified
    Alcohol
    53% abv.
    Region
    Scotland, Islay
    Bottled For
    Distillery

    Established in 1779, Bowmore Distillery is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland and nestles on the shores of Loch Indaal on the Inner Hebridean Isle of Islay. Bowmore is universally regarded as the best balanced of all the Islay malts, as characterised by its wonderfully rich and complex flavours.

    review by thepourfool

    92
    Color
    Buttered-toast gold
    Nose
    Strong peat and sea-salt, with wet sawdust and woodsmoke.
    Body
    Medium, grainy, and nicely dry.
    Palate
    Peat, toasted bread, salt, pencil lead, fig, faint lemon curd, and an undercurrent of alcohol.
    Finish
    Timed at 45 seconds. Very good, mellow, and throat-coating.

    This is one of my favorite whiskies. I like the earthiness and non-prissy imperfection of it. It tastes like what a working stiff in an Islay pub would drink. Great, manly whisky.

    review by fyoder

    90
    Color
    lightly toned penny
    Nose
    ouch! Nail polish remover, citrus
    Body
    thin, dry
    Palate
    smoke and salt, citrus
    Finish
    long burn, burning, fading, slowly fading, slooooowly fading...

    ok watered a bit as well, but I like it when they fight back. Excellent bang for the buck.

    review by sfaulk

    75
    Color
    Dark amber
    Nose
    Peat, smoke.
    Body
    Lighter than some but leaves a nice aftertaste.
    Palate
    Very strong peat and smoke flavour.
    Finish
    Not overwhelming, but not underwhelming either. Mild finish.

    Good for after dessert.

    review by bongo

    65
    Color
    rich amber
    Nose
    peat, brine and slight hospital smell
    Body
    medium body, smooth
    Palate
    vivid flashes of emergency room, salty and earthy
    Finish
    almost linear decay from the initial blast of alcohol. As the flavours mellow the saltiness becomes more sweet than bitter, and there is a pleasant earthy tone.

    Not my first choice. It is strong in the hospital quality like Laphroaig, and though the earthy salt flavours are pleasant as they mellow, overall I would choose this last over others I have reviewed here.

    review by gargamel

    85
    Color
    Golden
    Nose
    Lots of peat smoke, Dried apricot, Peat.
    Body
    Sandy. Medium full body.
    Palate
    Almost all smoke. Noticeable peat, Roast turkey.
    Finish
    Long and lovely. Smoke til the end. Warm, and then warmer.

    I love this whisky!

    review by oliver

    54
    Color
    gloden caramel
    Nose
    Alcohol, faint pineapple and wet carboard. Muted "islay flavours"
    Body
    Slightly sticky, quickly thinning. A lightweight.
    Palate
    Mild echoes of peat, sea air, then flowers, pineapple, violets. Perfume?
    Finish
    The pineapple is resurgent. Alcohol, the rubbing kind. Flowery, sticky, light islay flavours... as though leaving islay on luxury yacht full of dancing (French?) ladies...

    A real downer; at least now we know the motivation behind the many Bowmore "wine and fruit" expressions....

    review by saul

    90
    Color
    Light amber.
    Nose
    Burnt driftwood. Smoked oysters.
    Body
    Light bodied for a cask strength. Hot
    Palate
    Peat, Salt, Light smoke.
    Finish
    Light at first, followed by strong alcohol, then a slow and gentle tapering. Not burning. Clean.

    Surprisingly easy drinking for such a rich whisky.