December 5, 2014

A bag of Bowmore part six

And last. We'll have more Bowmore in one or two weeks.

Bowmore 15 yo ‘Laimrig’ (54.1%, OB, 2014)

We had tried the original Laimrig for Sweden back in 2009 and just loved it (WF 90). That one was double matured in bourbon then Spanish sherry wood, but it seems that newer batches such as this one were rather finished for a few months. Which ain’t exactly the same thing. Colour: amber. Nose: well me like. A Christmassy spiciness, cloves, oranges and all that, on a lot of tobacco, heavily smoked salmon, then bicycle inner tubes and a few drops of walnut wine. Works well so far. With water: some kind of rather lovely pipe tobacco. And dried porcinis galore! And cured ham! We’re almost in an old trattoria somewhere in Italy. Mouth (neat): big creamy gingery and pastissy (!) arrival, with all things oaky and spicy at the same time forward. Caraway, aniseed, ginger, sandalwood, ultra-infused herbal teas, more pastis, even absinth… and all that. This is huge and not quite ‘whisky’ in my book, but that’s only me and I rather like it, since balance has been found, in my opinion. With water: it got even bigger, concentrated and extractive, with many spices. Alsatian (or German) Christmas spice cake, spicy Christstollen… Finish: very long, maybe a notch too gingery and oaky. Speculoos and bitter oranges. Comments: spectacular. I’m not sure the distillate has got much to say in this context – and Bowmore’s no bland spirit – but I think this really works. Good recipe. SGP:566 - 87 points.

Good, let’s have a last quick one, and a sherried one since I believe no ‘clean’ one would survive after the thick Laimrig. Let’s see what we have…

Bowmore 17 yo 1991/2008 (56.2%, A.D. Rattray, sherry butt, cask #2060, 520 bottles)

Colour: amber. Nose: cigars, walnut wine, vin jaune and dried seaweed (kelp). Dry nutty oloroso style. With water: pu-erh tea. Always hard to beat. Mouth (neat): rich, yet semi-dry, full of walnuts, marmalade and Corinthian raisins, with an earthy background. Dried apricots, quince jelly, black pepper. Once again, hard to beat. With water: figs coming out, touches of mandarins. A tiny-wee bit of rubber, perhaps. Finish: long, on marmalade and cloves. Comments: excellent. Was that quick enough? Not too telegraphic? SGP:665 - 88 points.

Check the index of all Bowmore I've tasted so far

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback