Islay region – 53.6% ABV– US only — Price: unknown at this point.
Day 3 of my Exclusive Malts reviews.
On this day we travel to Islay to visit the Bowmore distillery, one of Islay’s most beautiful distilleries.
Most of my favorite bottlings of Bowmore are independent bottlings (a great example was Master of Malt’s 26yo Bowmore – holy crap, that was an amazing, amazing, amazing whisky).
Let’s see how this one plays into the I-prefer-indy-Bowmore-bottlings-playbook…
On the nose – Big, smoky, meaty with hints of spent match sticks and balsamic vinegar.
Damp and smoldering (?) cardboard and, deep in the background, UK parma violets, lavender and chrysanthemums.
Burning tires and hints of chicory. Balsamic reduction and beef ribs and spent cigars.
This is a big man, male chauvinist pig of a whisky. In an Archie Bunker sorta way, I dig it so far!
On the mouth – Damp wood, earthy forest floor, farmyard barn on a rainy spring day.
No heat at all and a great mouth feel! Campfires and damp tents. Wow, this is truly yummers.
Chocolate covered pastrami on rye. Like the sandwich has been bronzed in chocolate.
If you could bronze with chocolate (I guess it’d just be called “chocolated” then, right?)…
Boozed raisins, dates and sulphured figs.
Finish – More of the sulphured figs (add to that apricot).
In sum – Please don’t be scared of this word “sulphured” as this is not a sulphur-y whisky. Go to your local health food store and buy sulphured dried fruit. You’ll see what I’m talking about.
This is a massive whisky that has the digestive feel of a fernet branca. End on a good note, end your evening with this one.
Thanks again to the folks at ImpEx for the sample!