Bowmore 17 Year White Sands

After a difficult workday, I decided to sip away my sorrows rather than drink them away in large quantities, allowing me to focus my mind on something other than negative feelings about minor issues. I opened this sample, which a friend sent me. It's been a long time since I've had a Bowmore, so it seemed like a good choice. This single malt from Islay is a travel retail exclusive, aged for at least 17 years in former bourbon barrels. It's bottled at 43% ABV and is certainly chill-filtered with added colorant, giving it a dark amber appearance. The aroma begins with damp, musty peat, ash, and earthiness. It's also quite fruity. In fact, the sweet fruitiness quickly dominates the peat, with notes of peaches, apricots, toasted coconut, strawberries, and grilled pineapple. Plenty of honey, malted barley, and strong floral notes of orange/cherry blossoms. A slight saltiness, but predominantly sweet and fruity. Light oak, maple, and caramel. Very subtle bourbon notes, vanilla, and nuts. The palate is two-dimensional: peat and fruit. Tropical fruits like coconut, mango, and apricots. A decent peat level, but not comparable to Bowmore's neighbors on the south coast of Islay. More earthy than ashy or smoky. Musty cardboard, oak, and oak tannins. Not much else is present, but it's interesting how the spirit interacted with bourbon casks to produce such a pronounced tropical fruit profile, whereas others tend to be more honeyed with orchard fruits like apples or pears. A light-bodied mouthfeel that is thin and watery. The finish is medium in length, featuring tropical fruits, peat, and a dry character. A few years ago, at the start of the renowned Scottish Distillery Tour, I provided the group with a Bowmore Gold Reef. This spirit is incredibly similar to that one. Perhaps it's a bit more mellowed, though. This 17-year-old costs twice as much as that NAS version, and the difference in quality is negligible from what I recall. So, given a choice, I would always pick the less expensive one. I will say, though, that this would be good for casual sipping. Not one for deep analysis, but rather for absentminded sipping while engaged in other activities. Cheers

This is a travel retail exclusive not available in the USA, which I included in an international order to help offset shipping costs. This 17-year-old was purportedly matured in ex-bourbon oak barrels. It has an antique gold color in the glass, with heavy droplets and thick legs. The aroma is subtly smoked and sulfuric, strongly evoking many of Bowmore’s younger, standard offerings. There’s some toffee and cinnamon, with nice oak cask notes providing the foundation. The palate is malty, featuring caramel/toffee flavors and a decent smoke to round things off. The finish is disappointingly short and malty, with a surprising lack of barrel influence. In general, the name White Sands led me to anticipate briny, ocean salt notes, but none were present. It's simply a somewhat uninspired Bowmore that feels more like a marketing ploy than a distinctive release. It suffers from the most significant issue I find with Bowmore – sulfuric notes due to a lower alcohol content. It appears that every high-proof expression I've tried from this distillery effectively adds character while masking the sulfuric notes. This one falls prey to that same problem for me. I give it 3 stars, and at $82 a bottle, it's a definite no-buy. Cheers, my friends.

Given its significant aging, it's regrettable they didn't preserve the natural color. The peat is immediately noticeable on the nose, quickly followed by a pleasant fruity, tropical, very warm and soft aroma, with an almost cloying toffee sweetness. The peat is barely detectable under the molasses, but it is there. Oddly, I don't perceive any marine or salty character. However, it is present on the palate, where the tropical fruit (more balanced than on the nose) rests on a subtle salty note, with the smoke remaining light, almost ethereal, in the background. The name, referencing the white sands of Laggan Bay on Islay, suggests a strong marine profile, especially with the aging in Vault No.1, but the fruity sweetness dominates. Allowing the whisky to breathe makes the peat more prominent and pleasant, balancing the sweetness on the palate. The finish is surprisingly bitter and dry, with a lasting smoky note.

Oh, Bowmore... how could you disappoint me after I awarded your Devil's cask iii a perfect score? I acquired this bottling, another Bowmore that makes promises but fails to deliver. While it's not a bad dram, one has to question why a 17-year-old costs $86 at the whisky exchange. Well.... Presented at 43% ABV, with a tawny hue. On the nose, it's maritime and coastal. Sea spray, beach, sand, a hint of peat, and a touch of orange. They certainly chose an appropriate name with "White Sands" On the palate, peat, pepper, ashes, gunpowder, salty meat. The finish is extremely short and salty. Overall, this dram could be improved, but I suppose it's acceptable for $86, though better options exist (like your old companion, Lagavulin 16yo). My rating: 74 out of 100.

This Scotch is suitable for bourbon drinkers or those new to single malts. The aroma is vanilla and creamy toffee, with a hint of peat. The palate is very creamy and slightly spicy. The finish is long, creamy, and slightly tart with a touch of spice. It's well-integrated with no off-notes, though perhaps a bit too safe for my preference. It's as enjoyable as a beach stroll but similarly unremarkable. Thank you for the sample from a friend!

Nose: honey, vanilla, mild smoke, citrus, coastal aromas. Palate: Salty, very salty, with light peat, vanilla and citrus returning, some delicate fruits, and oak in the background. The sweetness, likely from an overused old sherry cask, is confusing. It would be amazing at 48% ABV. Finish: Lots of salt again and some mature wood. Citrus acidity in the background.