Morrison - Bowmore 27 year old Millennium

Among the esteemed bottles I secured from an auction was a Morrison Bowmore bottle, never commercially available: the 27-year-old Millennium. This blended malt, comprising components from Auchentoshan, Glen Garioch, and Bowmore, was created to commemorate the year 2000 and was gifted to Morrison-Bowmore employees. It's a 27-year-old whisky and a highly sought-after item, bottled at 40% ABV. The nose begins with notes of smoked figs, caramel, and chocolate, featuring a distinct maritime character and a sown-earth aroma. The first sip reveals dehydrated oranges, rum, and raisins, with a pronounced fig presence. The palate is fruity, sweet, and salty, offering pineapple, chocolate, salt, dates, and vanilla. The finish is exceptional, with chocolate, a smoky hazelnut note, ginger spice, dates, molasses, and a smoky Bowmore marmalade. Overall, this is a superb whisky, perfectly embodying the fusion of its constituent distilleries. It possesses the chocolate notes characteristic of the Lowland region's Auchentoshan, the sherry influence from Glen Garioch, and the subtle peat from Bowmore. The blend is a successful experiment, particularly with its refined nose. While I thoroughly enjoyed it, the palate could have been improved. My score for this remarkable bottle is 91 out of 100.