Whisky : Bowmore 23 Year, Lady of the Glen

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 42.5%

Cask : Refill Sherry Butt

Age : 23 Years (Distilled 7 May 1997, Bottled 2 Nov. 2020)

Nose : Fruity, smokey, and maritime.  The dram opened onto sweet oily smoked salmon, dried thistle, pink hawthorn, and tropical floral notes.  The impression of a shoreline stroll came to mind as salt air and beach morning glories appeared.  Subtle notes of dark chocolate, sandalwood, and honey lingered in the background.

Palate : Light and delicate with a heady floral profile that transitioned toward salt and smoke at the end.  Notes of jasmine, eucalyptus, menthol, and green tea arrived at the beginning with sandalwood, dried mango, and dragonfruit following.  Smoke and salt gradually intervened to give the impression of smoked tea, damp sand, and a smoldering barbecue pit.

Finish :  Long and lingering sweet floral sugars and a mild maritime salt.

Score : 8

Mental Image : Queen Bee’s Beach House

Notes :  This was absolutely stunning and probably the best dram I have had so far in 2021.  The refill cask imparted gentle fruit notes which accentuated the already tropical floral character of this Bowmore.  Light and delicate, there was so much going on in this glass that I found myself pouring a dram and the quickly pouring another.

Two decades in the cask has been kind to this Bowmore as peatier notes of salt and smoke arrived only gently as the floral sugars faded.  This reminded me a good deal of the 21 Year Bowmore that K&L had bottled through Hunter Laing’s Old Malt Cask line.  That bottle was absolutely loaded with delicious tropical fruit notes, though its herbal-floral edge was far more subdued.  The Lady of the Glen Bowmore had a hint of rancio/diesel at one point, but was so mellow that it was like a friendly wave by someone familiar rather than a smack in the face.

Overall, this was excellent and everything I want in an older peated dram.  It was perfectly balanced between the mellowness of age and the mild refill sherry cask.  This was so good that after buying a bottle to split with friends I went out and got one for myself.  It was not cheap, but this was what I want in a celebration bottle.