Whisky : Bowmore 26 Year French Oak Barrique ‘The Vintner’s Trilogy’

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 48.7%

Cask : Ex-Bourbon (13 Years), Ex-wine French Oak Barrique (13 Years)

Age : 26 Years (1991–2017)

Tasting : Neat in a Glencairn @ Peat Whisky Preview

Nose : Chestnuts roasting over an open fire.  Savory tobacco, well oiled leather, and sinus opening pepper corns.  Sweet and dense rum raisin cake along with sea salt dark chocolate.  The nose is a great mix of smoke and delicious subtly sweet desserts.

Palate : Bitter dark chocolate and cocoa nibs lead the way following by a bit of creamy gently caramelized custard.  Stewed plums and cherries give a bit of jammy sweetness, while decaying vegetable matter hints at some well aged peat.  A salty sweetness underlies the dram reminding me strongly of cocktail shrimp.

Finish : Lingering sweet Christmas spices and cherry cola.

Score : 7

Mental Image : Christmas potluck table: salty chocolate balls, cocktail shrimp, hot apple cider, roasted nuts.

Notes : An absolutely lovely Bowmore.  Loads of lovely notes from the oak, wine, and peat that really compliment one another.  I enjoyed the bit of decaying vegetation and rot that came through with the stewed fruits and the dark chocolate.  The prominent aroma of chestnuts gave the dram a real unique edge, the note was so unusual I had to check and make sure I was not imaging it.  

Chestnuts was a new note for me.  The first time I come across a really odd note my first compulsion is to find out if I am the only one getting it.  The best way to do this is simply share the tasting experience with my wife or friends.  I scribble down my notes and ask what they got out of the glass to see how we match up.  If I am alone and way out in left field, I will check other online tasting notes to see if anyone else mentioned the strange note.  Whether I have other people to check with or just the glory of the digital age to reference, I stuff the review into my little leather book and forget about it— best to come back to the dram later and see if I still get the note.  So chestnuts it is!

This would have been my favorite Bowmore had I not first tried the 1997 Distillery Manger’s Selection.  Currently it is a close second.  The finish was just a bit shorter and the palate was a bit less complex, less coherent, and had less of a body.  It was still absolutely excellent and depending on the mood I can absolutely picture myself preferring a slightly lighter dram to match the mood or weight of an evening.

This was excellent and I am convinced that my early, less than quality, run-ins with Bowmore were not a true testament of what the distillery is capable.