The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B+
Bowmore 15 Year Old Single Malt
(Credit: Beam Suntory)
Bowmore is the oldest distillery on the famed Scottish island of Islay and the second oldest in Scotland, founded in 1779. Islay distilleries form a crowd of big, charismatic personalities, so it’s no easy task to stand out. That Bowmore has managed to do just this, and has a large and devoted enough fan following that I regularly meet folks who point to it as their favorite single malt, says a lot about the quality of what they do there.
Their 15 year old single malt is more than just a step up their expressions ladder. Introduced in 2007, the whisky is sub-titled “The Darkest,” and appropriately so. The whisky shows the signature dark coloring that comes from heavy sherry aging. Bowmore starts with 12 year old-plus whiskies from ex-bourbon barrel and Oloroso Sherry butt stocks. After batching, the whisky is then finished for an extra three years (years, not months) in Oloroso Sherry butts.
The Scotch
Bowmore 15 is indeed a dark dram, having a middling amber appearance that is so suggestive of bourbon that you wouldn’t know the difference on sight alone. The coat of the glass reveals a liquid that is as viscous as it is dark, as it only reluctantly drops a few thick legs and develops a crown with big crenellations.
The nose is initially spicy in the main, but with a strong presence of damp earth and modest ashy note. Further nosings revealed hints of raisins and lemon zest.
This whisky’s texture is like that of a light oil. In stark contrast to the nose, the taste of it smacks you with peat smoke up front. Behind the smokiness are notes of pepper and cinnamon, and behind that are smaller notes of oak tannins, dark berries and bitter chocolate. The finish turns smokier still, making the experience a progression of smoke, before fading away and leaving just the afterglow.
The first thing to note about Bowmore 15 is that, despite the aging and color, the Sherry influence here is modest. The best characteristic is how it starts out a little smoky and is almost choked with the stuff by the end. Insofar as my personal tastes go, I don’t think Bowmore 15 is actually better than its younger sibling, Bowmore 12. Different certainly, but not necessarily better.
The Price
Expect to pay about $75 for Bowmore 15 Year Old in the U.S. and £60 in the UK.
No mention of the fact that this whisky is “darkest” because of the coloring? Pretty dishonest marketing to me, and one that was surprisingly overlooked by your quote: “The whisky shows the signature dark coloring that comes from heavy sherry aging.”
There is coloring, you are right about that.
Not to be cruel about this but I was not impressed in the least by this one. I’ve been a drinker of aged 15years+ whiskeys for more than twenty years. While travelling to Canada the other day I decided to give the Bowman a try as its package box described it as “Golden & Elegant” and “…a refreshing, silky peat smoked character with notes of citrus”. After spending almost $80us, what I tasted was a thin liquid with a heavily strong alcohol bite saturated by a nose dulling smoke. Golden-no, elegant-no and certainly not refreshing. Hope I can give it away.
Dude you r drinking something else
Hi Frederick, I believe the “Golden & Elegant” 15 yo is not part of Bowmore’s core range but rather a travel exclusive meant to be sold in duty free stores. It may not share the same blend/batching.
Also, it is a shame that Bowmore bottles it at only 43% but then again the 12 yo is bottled at 40% and I find it too low. if you do like the Bowmore 12, keep an eye out for the now discontinued ‘Small Batch’ which impressed me more than the 12, despite it also being 40%.
Cheers.
I have been drinking bow more 15 for few months now. I love it. But now I understand that it has coloring.
What is the impact and how serious is this to health?
None. The coloring used in the Scotch industry has no impact on flavor and isn’t a health hazard.