Bowmore Blair Castle International Horse Trials 2001

Get ready for an amazing true story. Mr. Richard Gooding, who formerly owned Pepsi, passed away in 2014. Upon entering his home, his heirs discovered an extraordinary find: the most remarkable whisky collection ever assembled. With over 3900 bottles, it represented the largest collection of Macallan, Bowmore, and numerous other brands. Experts worldwide were called in to appraise this whisky "museum." It included two bottles of the 1926 Macallan, eight bottles of Black Bowmore, ten bottles of 40-year-old Laphroaig, and the list continues. In 2019 and 2020, the entire collection was auctioned, setting a world record for a single bottle when the 1926 Macallan Adami sold for $1.5 million. You may wonder why I'm sharing this. Well... I acquired ten bottles from the "Perfect Collection" Auction. I'll recount my auction experience in future reviews to keep you engaged. One of these ten bottles was the Bowmore Blair Castle International Horse Trials 2001. This is a highly collectible item, especially for Bowmore aficionados, and it's nearly impossible to find. It was never offered for sale to the public, instead being given freely to participants of the Horse Trials at Scotland's Blair Castle. It was bottled by Morrison Bowmore Distillers, the previous owners of the distillery. You might find it online for a steep price of $2300 (which I did not pay). Bottled at 40% ABV, it has a golden color. The nose is incredibly aromatic, initially showing notes of maize, aromatic peat, and floral elements. Peaches, scorched hay, and medicinal qualities emerge after a few minutes, along with seafood aromas. Following the first sip, the scent shifts to a tropical profile with coconut and pineapple. The palate is flavorful and engaging, featuring tropical fruits, peaches, and pineapple. It's very elegant; a second sip revealed significant saltiness, but it wasn't unpleasant. The finish was the highlight: salt, tobacco, and pepper, with vanilla syrup and coconut. The saltiness lingers for hours! Overall, this was an absolutely incredible dram. Not only was the story compelling, but the whisky itself, while not overly complex, was outstanding. I researched the history of Blair Castle, and it's fascinating; they even possess Europe's only private army. Objectively speaking, my score is 93 out of 100. It received 23 points in every category, except for the finish, which was so satisfying that I awarded it 24 points. In my next review, I'll share the story of how I won the ten bottles. I hope you enjoy reading it. Cheers!