Bowmore 12 Year Old Sherry Finish Limited Edition

Poured directly from the bottle, served neat, allowed to rest for about 15 minutes before tasting. My hand warmth also slightly heated the glass. Nose: very subdued. Hints of leather and sweetness, an aroma of oak/wood with sweetness, like freshly cut apple or cherry wood, with some toasted malt present. Palate: again, quite light, no harshness from alcohol, exceptionally smooth, the apple characteristic remains, it feels like many flavors are just beyond reach, I'm very interested to see if the flavors intensify in approximately 4 weeks. Perhaps a late hint of berry sweetness emerges. Finish: remarkably smooth. This is the kind of drink you might not notice how much you've consumed until you get up. Smoke appears here, which is unusual for an Islay, as the smoke arrives so late. The sweetness fades into the background, and smoke takes center stage, yet a hint of baked apple, like from a pie or crumble, can still be detected. If tasted blind, I would never have identified this as an Islay whisky; it's quite distinct from most bottles originating from that island. Having tried numerous Sherry cask finishes, this one had surprisingly subtle sherry notes. Again, this was a neck pour, so a later tasting might reveal different results; I will update later.

NOSE: Sweet and fruity with notes of marmalade, stewed prunes, tangerine, and blood orange zest, along with caramel and toffee, a hint of thyme, dried mint, Islay moss, and a subtle peat in the background. TASTE: The taste is initially sweet with salted toffee, gingerbread spices, almond, and marzipan toasted bread, but also features bitter orange zest, dried eucalyptus, and a combination of light peat and sherry character. FINISH: Sweet, with heather honey against a backdrop of medicinal herbal notes.