Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Bowmore 2000 (Coopers Choice)
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 9 Years
ABV: 46 %
Date: 04/08/2013
Colour: Pale Straw/White Wine
Nose: Unmistakably Bowmore with Campfire Smoke, Sweet Peat, Malt, Bacon, Shellfish, Ashes, That Comfortable Armchair of your Grandpa, Vanilla, Oak, Citrus, Iodine, Salt and PVC/Plastic.
Palate: A bit on the Thin side with Campfire Smoke, Sweet Peat, Pepper, light Oak and Vanilla, Citrus, Ashes, Salt, Iodine and Leather.
Finish: Quite Long and Beefy with Smoke, Sweet Peat (Earth), Salt, Brine, Pepper, Ashes, Cigar Smoke, Iodine, Wet Newspaper and Leather.
I added a bit of Water and the Nose becomes more Malty as so often is the case. But I don't find other important differences. Ashes and Pepper become more prominent on the Palate and in the Finish. You can play with a bit of water although I prefer it neat.
Rating: 83
Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21
General Remarks: This Bowmore was distilled in 2000 and bottled in 2010. It was matured by - and bottled for The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. Ltd under their brand name Coopers Choice. This Independent Bottler was founded in 1992 by Brian Cook, a guy with 20 years of experience in the Malt Whisky Industry. It matured in Ex-Bourbon Hogshead # 219 and costs around 60 US Dollars. This whisky is naturally coloured and not chill-filtered.
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion: A straightforward young Bowmore. Nothing really stands out both from a positive and a negative point of view. Palate and Finish are a logical continuation of the Nose. I do miss some Fruity tones here. It's a well-crafted Islay but somehow I didn't totally connect to this Bowmore. The Song " A Face in the Crowd" by Tom Petty came to mind. That sums it up quite well I think!
Jan van den Ende August 2013
