Showing posts with label Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review. Show all posts

Teaninich 1999


“Ticket to the Tropics”


Whisky Review # 1036

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Teaninich 1999
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Diageo Special Release - 5352 Bottles
Age: 17 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 55.9%
Maturation: Refill American Oak Hogsheads and perhaps some Sherry Butts
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 200-300 (October 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😒 Pretty stiff for a relatively unknown distillery
Buying Advice: 😐 It's not bad but really expensive

Colour: Light Golden Straw (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Please avoid nosing in the middle of the glass as the Alcohol is relatively strong. It is pretty Light and Fresh for a 17 year old Single Malt. This Teaninich presents a slightly Hot, Dry and Medium-Sweet mix of Fruity, Floral and Cereal notes. Not bad but a little unpretentious.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Toast & Margarine, Vanilla, Dough, Grass & Straw, Orange, Lemon, Mandarin, Pear, Melon, Banana, Floral Perfume, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Salted Caramel, Wax, Grapefruit, Apple, Nectarine, Pineapple, Nuts and Nutshells, Dairy, Wet Rocks/Paper, Dusty Track, Marzipan, Ginger, Mint and hints of Tobacco, Leather and Varnish. After 15 minutes of Nosing I thought I got some Apricot-filled Puff-Pastry but it vanished quickly.


Palate:

I kinda like the Waxy mouthfeel although it's a little on the Thin side. The Palate is a Fruity mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. Quite Dry and slightly Hot.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Grass and Straw, Wax, Orange, Mandarin, Lemon, Green Herbs & Vegetables, Candy with Tropical Fruit Flavour (Pineapple, Banana, Papaya, Nectarine), Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Dough, Dusty Track, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Nuts, Banana, Green Apple, Pear, Wet Stones, Herbal Tea, Tobacco, Ginger and Mint.


Finish
:


Middle-Long and very Dry. It's a mix of Bitter, Sweet and Sour notes with a bit of Salt as well. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Green Herbs and Vegetables, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberries, Green Apple & Pear, Banana, Nectarine, Nuts, Dusty Track, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Licorice and Acetone. A light Alcohol Burn in the end.

Drinking Advice:

A little Water helps to battle the Heat of course but it does not improve the Aroma and Flavour profile of this Teaninich. Despite the Alcohol I prefer it neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course and I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Teaninich distillery was founded in 1817 by Captain Hugh Monro just south of the village of Alness. In 1933 DCL bought the distillery and subsequent mergers & take-overs brought it under the wings of the Diageo Group. The Spirit is mainly used in the Johnnie Walker Blends. There are some exceptions. In 1992, the 10 Year Old I'm reviewing today was introduced as part of the Flora & Fauna Series. Flora & Fauna has been discontinued in the meantime and it gets harder and harder to find this expression. The Limited Edition that I'm reviewing today was launched in 2017 to celebrate the 200th birthday of the distillery. Teaninich is the 3rd largest Diageo distillery and produces over 10 million litres per year.

If you like Citrus Fruit and Tropical Fruit Cocktails you will certainly enjoy this Malt although it is very Dry and slightly Hot. It has a mind of his own and that's rare these days. It's a pity that it's so expensive. People should be able to get to know this relatively unknown distillery, as far as Single Malts are concerned, at a more accessible price level. Because Teaninich certainly has Single Malt potential and I can also see the value of the Fruity Spirit in Blended Whiskies. But at this price level this knowledge will not reach a broad public and that's a pity.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                    October 10, 2024

Tomintoul Cigar Malt

   

“Don’t Have a Cigar” 


Whisky Review # 1035

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Speyside
Brand: Tomintoul Cigar Malt
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Either fully matured in - or finished in Oloroso butts from Andalusia
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 70-90 (October 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay I guess
Buying Advice: 👎 Not good enough to pair with a first class cigar.

Colour: Very Dark Amber with shades of Red (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Please give this Tomintoul enough time in the glass and avoid nosing in the middle the glass as there is Alcohol around. It's quite Light and Thin on the Nose and it's a Young Malt. I assume that most of the Spirit only had a Sherry Finish. You can smell the Sherry casks but certainly not in an overwhelming way. The Nose is Sweet but not overly so and there are a few Sour & Salty notes for balance. Only a touch of Smoke in the background as well as a very light Sulphur note. My first thought was that this Cigar Malt seems on the light side to be able to accompany a good Cigar.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Apricot, Plums, Dates & Figs, Sour Red Berries & Cherries (Strawberry, Raspberry) Dark - & Milk Chocolate, Nuts, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger and Nutmeg.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Wax, Demerara Sugar, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Ashes, Polished Upholstery, Orange, Banana Bread, Licorice, Aniseed, Pepper, Herbs and a hint of Pork.


Palate:

Relatively Young, a little Hot & on the Thin side. A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. Quite Dry. The Smoke is more noticeable but remains in the background. A good Cigar deserves a Single Malt with more character in my opinion.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Dates and Plums, Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Sour Red Berries and Cherries, Tobacco, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger and Cardamom.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Wax, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Grass, Charred Oak, Cigar Box, Orange, Cooked Apples, Leather, Peanut Butter, Metal, Aniseed, Cinnamon and a hint of Pork.


Finish
:


Middle-Long. Young, Thin and a little Hot. A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. Quite Dry and slightly Metallic towards the end. The Smoke is more present now. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Wax, Golden Syrup, Dried Fruit like Plums, Sultanas & Dates, Nuts, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Ashes, slightly Sour Red Berries/Cherries, Orange, Dark Chocolate, Charred Oak, Black Coffee or Tea, Tobacco, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cardamom & Aniseed.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water kills this Cigar Malt.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

The Tomintoul distillery was founded in the year 1965 and was bought in 2000 by the current owners Angus Dundee Distillers who also acquired Glencadam in 2003. It is located in Ballindaloch (Banffshire), one of the highest distillery locations in Scotland. The core range currently consists a/o of the NAS Tlàth and Seiridh, the 10, 14, 16, 21 and 25 years old, the Cigar Malt and some other peated Malts like the Old Ballantruan and the Peaty Tang. The Tomintoul Malt is used in blends like Dundee and Parker's.

The Cigar Malt is a mix of classic Tomintoul Single Malt and rare peated Tomintoul Single Malt. Each of these individual Single Malts have either matured fully or were finished in Oloroso Sherry butts from Andalusia, Spain.

The Cigar Malt is a Young, Thin and slightly Hot Single Malt. It's not really bad but I really don't see this as an adequate companion for a good Cigar. It simply lacks sufficient maturation, active casks and a more adequate ABV. I'm not a regular Cigar Smoker but if I would smoke a good Cuban on a special occasion I would not pair it with this Tomintoul.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                      October 3, 2024

Glenlivet White Oak Reserve


“Absolute Beginners” 


Whisky Review # 1032

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Speyside
Brand: Glenlivet White Oak Reserve - Triple Cask Matured
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Mix of 1st Fill American White Oak, Sherried Wood & Traditional Oak 
Chill Filtration: Yes 
Sample provided by Marco from Brazil. Many Thanks!
Price Range: US$ 60-75 (September 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 if you can find it at around US$ 60 
Buying Advice: 😐 Okay for beginners but unremarkable for the advanced fans 

Colour: Light Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light, Young and mainly Sweet. A typical MMM (Modern Mainstream Malt). Lots of (Dried) Fruit, Caramel and Coconut. The Alcohol is noticeable. It's quite inoffensive and unremarkable. 

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Coconut, Green Apple, Pear, Mandarin and Orange, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots & Plums, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Oak, Candy, Cinnamon and Mint.      
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Toffee, Grass & Straw, Lemon, Dark Berries and Cherries, Wet Rocks, Almonds, Gooseberry, Caffe Latte and Ginger.   


Palate:

Young, Thin, Light and Medium-Dry. Mainly Sweet but presenting Sour and Bitter notes as well. The Alcohol remains noticeable. Quite uneventful.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley,Caramel, Heather-Honey, Grass and Straw, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots, Dates and Plums, Green Apple, Pear, Orange, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon & Ginger.   

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Nuts & Nutshells, Lemon, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Artificially flavored Candy (Cherry), Coconut, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte, Dusty Road and Dry Earth, Mint, Nutmeg and hints of Tobacco and Metal (Tin). 


Finish
:


Young and on the Thin side. The Alcohol is noticeable. Quite Sweet at first but with developing Bitter and Sour notes towards the finale that comes rather quick. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Nuts & Nutshells, Orange, Green Apple, Mandarin, Lemon, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Caffe Latte, Oak, Dark Chocolate, Coconut, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Menthol and Metal.  

Drinking Advice:

Added Water kills this Glenlivet.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Boring

Conclusion:

The Glenlivet Distillery is located in Ballindalloch (Banfshire) and was founded in 1824 by George Smith. Since 2001 it is owned by Chivas Brothers Pernod Ricard In 2018 a new production extension became operational that has increased the production to around 21 million litres making it the largest Single Malt distillery in Scotland. The core range includes The Founder's Reserve (NAS), The Captain's Reserve (NAS), The Caribbean Reserve (NAS) and the 12, 15 and 18 Years. 

The White Oak Reserve I'm reviewing today is part of the Travel Retail range and therefore aims at a broad public. In many occasions this policy provides us with inoffensive Malts that won't scare off potential whisky fans. As such this White Oak Reserve works. But if you're into whisky a little longer you might find this boring and uninteresting. 

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                             September 11, 2024

Kilchoman Saligo Bay


“Set Fire To The Rain” 


Whisky Review # 1031

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Islay
Brand: Kilchoman Saligo Bay
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS - (Stated at Around 5 Years)
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon barrels
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 60-100 (August 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 if you can get it at max. US$ 70
Buying Advice: 👍 if you like Young Smoky Islay Malt

Colour:

White Wine - Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Relatively Young and a little Rough with lots of Smoke and Burnt Peat. Quite Dry as well. Not Unpleasant! Give it enough time in the glass to be able to spot the other Aromas. There is a bit of Alcohol in play. All in all a typical Young Islay Malt.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Wet Hay and Grass, Bonfire Smoke, Burnt Peat, Tar, Ashes, Charred Oak, Smoked Fish and Shellfish on the BBQ sprinkled with lots of Lemon and dusted with Green Herbs and Pepper.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Farm Yard, Dirty Earth, Iodine, Seaweed, Green Apple,  Cooked Vegetables, Tangerine, Grapefruit, Bitter Orange, Leather, Pipe Tobacco, Licorice, Mint and Plastic.


Palate:

Mainly Sweet with a few Sour and Bitter notes as well. Quite Dry. Oily but a little Thin at the same time. It can't hide its relative Youth but it remains pleasant.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Driftwood Fire, Tar, Ashes, Hay and Grass, Farm Yard, Butter, Fish and Shellfish on the BBQ sprinkled with lots of Lemon and dusted with Green Herbs and Pepper, Charred Oak and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Heather-Honey, Toffee, Iodine, Seaweed, Green Apple, Ginger, Herbal Tea, Milk Chocolate, Sour Orange and Grapefruit, Rubber, Plastic, Licorice and Nutshells.


Finish:

Middle-Long. Young, a little Rough and mostly Sweet with a few light Bitter notes. The Sweetness presents itself a little Artificial. Quite Dry. I find Sweet Barley, Wet Hay and Grass, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Driftwood Fire, Tar, Ashes, Farm Yard and Dirty Earth, Slightly Sour Green Apple, Lemon, Herbal Tea, Charred Oak, Strong Espresso, Plastic, Metal, Rubber, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Licorice. Hints of Milk Chocolate, Pipe Tobacco and Gasoline after a while.

Drinking Advice:

In an odd way added Water seems to enhance the Young character of this Saligo Bay. Be sure to try it out! I prefer it neat though.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat
: Good


Conclusion:

The Kilchoman distillery is located at the Rockside farm, close to Bruichladdich. This farm distillery only started production in 2005. It is owned by Anthony Wills and his sons are involved in the day-to-day business as well. It's a  small distillery that currently produces around 600.000 litres per year. The core range consists of the NAS Machir Bay and the NAS Sanaig. Kilchoman has its own malting floor responsible for malting around 25% of their needs. The rest was bought from Port Ellen but since 2022 they only sell to Diageo distilleries. Therefore Kilchoman has ample plans to increase their own malting and distilling facilities.

The Saligo Bay was launched in 2016, initially for Travel Retail only. As of 2021 it is widely available elsewhere. Saligo Bay is one of the three beautiful bays on the West Coast of Islay.

The Saligo Bay is a typical Young Islay whisky that matured for around five years in good casks. There's a lot of Smoke and Burnt notes around and if you like that this Kilchoman will not disappoint you despite a few light off-notes. All in all not a bad effort by this relatively young distillery.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                 September 5, 2024

Clynelish 14 Years


“Daydr(e)am” 


Whisky Review # 1030

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Clynelish
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Mix of mainly Ex-Bourbon casks and some Sherried Wood
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 45-60 (August 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good
Buying Advice: 👍 Good day-to-day Highlander at an affordable price

Colour:

Golden Sunlight (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

There are lots of Fruit to be found but also healthy portions of Clynelish Wax, Malt and Caramel. The Alcohol is slightly noticeable. Sweet, Sour, Mineral and Grassy tones are also a part of the mix. Not spectacular but certainly pleasing.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Wax, Grass & Straw, Sweet Apple, Nectarine, Lemon, Tropical Fruit Cocktail, Wet Rocks, Dirty Earth, Mint and Ginger.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Resin, Dough, Green Vegetables, Orange, Grapefruit, Pear, Sugared Figs, Dusty Charred Casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Pepper, Cloves and mere hints of Smoke, Polish and Rubber.


Palate:

A pleasant mix of Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter and Mineral notes. It would even be better if the Alcohol would be fully integrated but that's not the case.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Grass and Hay, Wax, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Dusty Earth, Charred Oak, Sugared Almonds, Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon.

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Honey, Brown Sugar, Dough, Nectarine, Tropical Fruit cocktail, Herbal Tea, Wet Rocks, Mint, Cloves, Cardamom and Nutmeg. Hints of Polished Leather, Rubber and Gasoline.


Finish:

Middle-Long, Punchy and with a little Alcohol kick towards the Medium Dry end. Quite Mineral as well. A Mix of Sweet, Salty & Sour notes with some Bitter accents as well. I find Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Vanilla, Wax, Brown Sugar, Yeast, Resin, Grass and Hay, Apple, Pear, Tropical Fruit Cocktail, Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Nectarine, Chocolate/Dried Fruit Bar, Wet Rocks, Dusty Oak, Varnish, Pepper, Herbal Tea, Cloves, Ginger, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Drinking Advice:

I prefer it neat but you can carefully add a few drops of Water.

Rating: 8 (********)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat
: Good


Conclusion:

Clynelish was founded in 1819 by the 1st Duke of Sutherland in the small town of Brora. It is owned by Diageo and the spirit is an important ingredient of various JW Blends. It produces around 4,8 million litres of Alcohol per year. Its sister-distillery Brora lies next to Clynelish and has been reopened recently after having been closed in 1983. The pictures were shot during our visit to Clynelish/Brora in May 2019. A new Visitor Centre was opened in 2021. The 14 Years I'm reviewing today is the only official core expression.

There's a lot to like about this Clynelish 14 years. It's pleasant, easy-going and without significant off-notes. And it has an affordable price tag. It's quite Waxy & the Alcohol stings a little at times but other than that you can easily consider this Clynelish 14 Years if you're looking for a suitable daily dram.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                      August 15, 2024

Bowmore 15 Years Golden & Elegant


“Bow More Mr. Nice Guy”


Whisky Review # 1028

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Islay
Brand: Bowmore Golden & Elegant
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Marriage of 1st Fill Bourbon Casks and Hogsheads
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 60-90 (July 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Quite good for a 15-Year old Single Malt
Buying Advice: 😐 It's not bad but too Thin and Artificial for me

Colour:

Deep Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

A bit Thin and Artificial with Sweet, Sour & Salty notes. Light Smoke coming from a BBQ party held by your neighbor a few houses down the road. The Sherry cask influence is very limited. Bowmore's Perfumed Tea is certainly there though. I would expect more from a 15 Year-old Single Malt from Islay.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Lightly Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Farmyard, Grass, Hay, Perfumed Tea, Milk-Nuts Chocolate, Tropical Fruit Cocktail, Banana Bread, Sweet Apples, Citrus Fruit, Dusty Oak, Aniseed, Ginger and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Ham, Bacon and (Shell)Fish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Soot, Iodine, Resin, Peat Smoke, Marzipan, Wet Newspaper, Archive Boxes, Tobacco, Polished Leather and Rubber/Plastic.


Palate:

Slightly Thin & a little Sharp. The Alcohol is certainly more noticeable now. As on the Nose the general feeling is slightly Artificial. Peat, Smoke and Ashes are more present as well. Mainly Sweet but with Sour, Salty and Bitter accents. It's okay but no more than that.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Yeast, Smoke, Peat, Ashes, Soot, Meat & Fish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon & Herbs, Perfumed Tea, Banana Bread, Red Apple, Citrus Fruit (Orange, Grapefruit), Toasted Pineapple, Coconut, Licorice, Pepper and Aniseed.

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Honey, Toffee, Resin, Milk-Nuts Chocolate, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Apricot Jam, Cloves and Nutmeg.


Finish:

Short/Middle-Long & on the Thin side. A little Harsh as well as the Alcohol is more noticeable. Sweet at first but with a light Bitter note toward the Dry end. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Caffe Latte, Resin, Peat/Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Perfumed Tea, Nuts & Nutshells, Red Apple, Nectarine, Apricot, Citrus Fruit, Dusty Oak, Tobacco, Leather, Roasted Pineapple, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed & some Menthol. Artificially-flavored Candy after a while.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water kills this Bowmore.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat
: Okay


Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion:

Bowmore is the oldest Islay Distillery and was founded in 1779 by David Simpson. It changed hands various times along the years but since 1994 the Japanese Suntory group controls Bowmore. Bowmore still malts around 25% of the Barley on their premises. They currently produce over 2.15 million liters of Alcohol p.a. The Bowmore core range includes the 12, the 15 the 18 and 25 Years. Some of the Bowmore Spirit is used in Blends like Rob Roy and Black Bottle. We visited the distillery in 2014 & 2017. I absolutely love the Malting Floor, the Shop & Visitor-Centre. Certainly well-worth the visit.

It's not easy to find really good Whisky in the Travel Retail shops these days. And this Bowmore 15 Years is not an exception. It's not really bad and certainly fairly priced but it's also Thin, slightly Artificial and Emotionless. And that's not what I look for in a 15 Year old Single Malt from Islay. What a difference with the great old 17 Years. But unfortunately they don't make Whisky like that bo more 😜

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                          July 25, 2024