Bowmore 18 Year (2004), SMWS 3.342 "Beach foam"
Whisky: Bowmore 18 Year (2004), SMWS 3.342 "Beach foam"
Country/Region: Scotland/Islay
ABV: 57.6%
Cask: 2nd Fill Bourbon Hogshead
Age: 18 Years (Distilled 16 Feb. 2004)
Nose: Maritime, soft tropical fruit, plumeria and tropical florals, passion fruit, malty pastries, citrus, grassy sugar cane, more dusty earth and wood in the background.
Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, tropical fruits, stone fruits, floral and musky, brine, aromatic woods, incense, shortbread cakes, black pepper.
Finish: Medium to long with tropical fruits and teas.
Score: 8 (88)
Mental Image: Tropical Farmer’s Market Calm
Narrative & Notes: Like strolling through a tropical farmer’s market in the morning; a gentle maritime breeze carried hints of hibiscus and plumeria as vendor’s set out tasting jars of passion fruit curd, soursop juice, pineapple shortbread cakes, and guava jelly. Shave ice syrups came to mind as the whisky turned sweeter with more citrusy lime and grassy crushed sugar cane. Hints of fish oil, ply wood, and dusty earth lingered in the background. Medium-bodied and oily, a touch of spirited heat faded as the tropical flavor bomb ignited. Waves of white guava, white nectarines, and shikuwasa exploded with slightly floral, juicy citrus and musky candies. A touch of salty umami, bursting ikura, waited further in, and faded when pineapple shortbread and melon cakes arrived. Aromatic woods and incense clung around the edges with a bit of cracked pepper and brine at the end. The finish was medium to long with tropical fruits and teas.
These February 2004 Bowmore from SMWS have been consistently delicious— no matter the age, or the cask finish. While the most recent batch of 20-Years that arrived in the US have all had a second fill oloroso finish to them, I hope there are more of these straight ex-bourbon casks waiting in the wings. Those slightly older sherry-finished Bowmore are excellent, but they lack some of the tropical subtleties— sacrificing the wonderful floral notions for more clearly defined fruits and dirtier or earthier elements.
Overall, another tropical maritime delight. This was a touch peppery and spirited at times, perhaps more so than some of the others I have had lately, but the jammy tropical fruits and sea breeze were just fantastic.
