Bowmore Darkest 15 Year

I tried the 5 cl. Bowmore tasting kit including the 12, 15 Darkest, and 18 year old expressions. Below are my classifications and thoughts: 1. Bowmore 12 yo The youngest expression turned out to be the best. On the nose, there's caramel and honey with a subtle, pleasing peat. The pleasing aroma doesn't quite carry over to the palate, where a rather thin, light whisky is present. It offers notes of honey, sweet maple smoke, light peat, and tobacco. The finish is short and light, with the smoke fading almost completely, replaced by a slight sweetness. 2. Bowmore 18 yo I enjoyed the nose, with its distinct scent of burnt rubber, brine, and peat. In essence, a genuine "hardcore" Islay. However, the positive impression from the aroma again gives way to a lack of substance. It feels very liquid, almost watery, compared to whiskies of similar or younger age. Flavors of orange, honey, and chocolate are detected. The finish has tobacco and a briny character. Nothing truly memorable. 3. Bowmore 15 yo Darkest I had high hopes for this sherry-finished expression, but they were entirely unmet. This time, the balance is reversed: weak on the nose, dominated by fresh wood, with hints of light sherry and cigarette smoke, but it's truly unsubstantial. Slightly better, but not by much, on the palate, it's like chewing on a tree branch soaked in orange juice. The finish is light, very tannic, and bitter, almost as if it finished in wine. To sum up: I'm somewhat let down.

Here's another review I'm getting to late, which has been waiting in my drafts. With everyone staying home now, it's a great time to go through my old notes for the community. THE STORY: Back in late August 2019, I was at a conference in Miami. I had planned to stay longer after the conference, and my girlfriend was flying in to join me for a trip around Miami. Everything was going well until hurricane Dorian showed up. The weather forecast at the time was suggesting Dorian would hit Miami in two days. Everyone was rushing to leave town. So, I was there on a windy night in Miami with a group of friends, trying to decide whether to head home the next day before the storm, while also trying to have a good time before the hurricane. It was definitely a time to have some good whiskey to relax. I had Bowmore 15Yr The Darkest and JW Blue label (I'll review that one soon). They weren't top-shelf drams, but since I hadn't tried them before, I figured they'd do the job. The price per pour at the resort was so high that I don't want to think about it. Being a captive audience with limited options really stinks. Anyway, hurricane Dorian wasn't the only thing ruining our good spirits that night. But since it was a company expense, I can't complain too much. Enough said. Moving on. AROMA: The aroma is inviting. A blend of fruit, smoke, and chocolate caramel. I detect cherries, buttered caramel, and light sweet smoke, all harmonizing nicely. There's a slight brininess at the end, but it's not overpowering like some other whiskies. TASTE: The taste is as good as the aroma, closely following it. It's like juicy fruit in smoked liqueur. The smoke comes and goes gently, as if it's present but wants to remain subtle. FINISH: The finish is long and somewhat dry. The smoke lingers, providing a warming sensation as it goes down. CONCLUSION: Overall, it's a well-balanced and cohesive dram from start to finish. I enjoyed it. A solid 3.5 to 3.75 stars. Should you try it, buy it, or skip it? Definitely try it! I personally won't add it to my collection because there are other similar styles that offer better value, and my collection is becoming more selective. Only skip it if you don't appreciate the finer things in life. Cheers!

Nose: Dominant cedar, mineral oil, and a powerful oily scent like furniture polish or shoe polish. Palate: The flavor mirrors the unpleasant nose. A robust cherry cough syrup and resinous wood taste from combining strongly peat-smoked spirit with active, sulphurous sherry casks. Finish: Extended. Features asphalt, resin, and tannin. Clear evidence that tastes differ. I find this among the most disagreeable whiskies I've sampled, and it's one of the few respected spirits I intensely dislike. While not poorly crafted, its character is personally repulsive. That's solely my perspective; if you enjoy this spirit, take comfort knowing there's one less person competing for it. "Poor": 60/100 (1 star)

My experience with Bowmore 12 was disappointing. Despite the high praise for Bowmore, the 12-year-old didn't meet my expectations. Now, having tried the 15yo Darkest, I feel it's an improvement over the 12yo, but it still misses elements to qualify as a great whisky. Bottled at 43%abv, it presents a lovely mahogany color. The nose is spectacular, among the finest aromas I've encountered. It features perfumed peat, almonds, prunes, and toffee in a harmonious blend. My excitement grew, but the tasting brought me back down. It begins with a watery sensation, then transitions to a pleasant tobacco flavor, followed by a mild warmth, and hints of oak and malt. It has a light body, and the finish is medium with limited flavor. (I did add 0.6 points to the score because I detected more chewable tobacco while writing this, about 5 minutes after finishing the drink). Nothing extraordinary here; there's no peat on the palate, and it doesn't feel particularly "Islay." Adding 2 drops of water revealed other notes but didn't alter the score. On the nose: chocolate and some spices. On the palate: ginger, bitter chocolate, caramel, and more tobacco. Having now sampled two Bowmore expressions, neither has impressed me. The widespread acclaim doesn't seem justified, at least not yet. I have the 18 yo waiting, hoping for a better experience. A score of 76 out of 100; or 3.75 if you prefer that rating.

Date: 9/12/19 Region: Islay Bottled at: 43% Color: Amber (color added and chill filtered) AROMA: Sweet smoke, sherry, cherry. Some mocha notes. The smoke isn't overpowering and is well-balanced. After a while, a malty sweetness and caramel develop. TASTE: Medium body. Prominent sherry, some spice, grapes, and dark fruits, fading into peat and smoke. FINISH: Medium long, with smokiness and some spice. Overall While it has mixed reviews, I really enjoyed it. It's well-balanced and complex, with mixed sherry flavors mingled with malty sweetness and an undercurrent of smoke/peat. I would definitely buy another bottle. However, it would be better if it wasn't artificially colored...

I sampled this at a bar in a flute glass. The bottle's level and age are unknown. The aroma is heavily influenced by sherry, with a background of campfire. It smells like roasted trail mix over a campfire in October, with some dried fruit mixed in. The taste is similar, with smoke and sweetness. Sweet, dark fruits are the dominant sweet flavors, while the smokiness never becomes rubbery. The mouthfeel is medium, and the alcohol content is low enough to be well-managed. Oak flavors emerge after 5-10 seconds. The dried fruit and smoke flavors complement each other and persist together throughout the long finish.