Bowmore 20 Year (2004), Whisky Land No. 2
Whisky: Bowmore 20 Year (2004), Whisky Land No. 2
Country/Region: Scotland/Islay
ABV: 53.3%
Cask: Refill Hogshead
Age: 20 Years (Distilled 2004, Bottled 2024)
Nose: Herbal, floral, wispy smoke, campground, wood, citrus, tobacco, tropical fruit, herbal spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, coastal and maritime, mineral, tropical fruit, slightly floral, woody, citrusy, wispy smoke.
Finish: Medium to long with a peppery brine and dried fruits.
Score: 8 (88)
Mental Image: Island Cabin Adventures
Narrative & Notes: Herbal and floral with wispy smoke, I was back at a tropical campground with old wood cabins, mosquito nets, citronella, and subtle tobacco smoke. hopped pineapple and mango waited on a wooden cutting board while dill, lemon, and capers were readied to adorn baked white fish— was it a fruit salsa prepped for baked fish? Medium-bodied, the flavor profile was coastal and maritime with a beachy minerality and loads of sea shells. More pineapple and green mango waited further in as passion flower tea and heather offered a slightly floral and drying edge. Old driftwood and citronella lingered toward the end with wispy tobacco smoke, or a bonfire just beginning to catch alight. The finish was medium to long with a peppery brine and dried fruits.
I understand this was a sibling cask to the Feb. 2004 lot of Bowmore that SMWS has trickled out over the last half decade or so, but even if it was not, it bore a lot in common with them. Those whiskies have varied from fruity, to floral, or coastal, and this leaned more in the coastal direction on the palate, while the nose was slightly earthier and woodier. Wispy smoke lingered in the background on the nose and palate with the occasional floral element. This was not as rich and well-defined as some of those others and occasionally a touch bitter, but that is a minor quibble on an otherwise lovely dram.
Overall, lovely stuff if you can get it.
Image Credit: Decadent Drinks
