Bowmore 23 Year (2000), Signatory Vintage Cask 800091
Whisky: Bowmore 23 Year (2000), Signatory Vintage Cask 800091
Country/Region: Scotland/Islay
ABV: 54.5%
Cask: Bourbon Barrel
Age: 23 Years (Distilled 28 March 2000, Bottled 24 August. 2023)
Nose: Coastal and metallic, rust, beach grass, industrial, hessian, brine, herbal-medicinal, muscle rub.
Palate: Medium-bodied, syrupy, tropical fruit, sugar cane, industrial, coastal, rust and soot, beach grass.
Finish: Medium-length with a return of metallic rust on the beach, heather, and hints of charcoal.
Score: 7+ (85)
Mental Image: Rusted Gundam on the Beach
Narrative & Notes: Coastal and mechanical, the aroma spoke to dunes and broken down robots— a failed robot revolution on the beach? Rusted iron and tin mixed with beach grass, engine grease, melted rubber, hessian, and hints of plastic for coastal wrecks across sandy dunes. Brine and muscle rub appeared in the background with camphor, charcoal, and hints of heather. Medium-bodied and syrupy, the flavor profile initially offered up something fruitier with crushed cane, lime, and guava, before more industrial and beachy elements took shape. Industrial, like diesel generator powering the sugar cane crusher and the lights of a tropical night market, with rusted metal and soot. Brine and kaya appeared near the end, or earlier with water, as jammy coconut with heather and beach grass— strolling away from the night market for some quiet respite. The finish was medium-length with a return of metallic rust on the beach, heather, and hints of charcoal.
The flavor profile featured an odd juxtaposition between dirty, industrial and metallic qualities against tropical fruits and fleeting hints of florals. It was quite good, and a throw back to more of the grungy 90s, post-overly floral, Bowmore profiles. Yet, it lacked a clarity to the flavor notes that would take it to the next level— a longer finish, more depth on the palate, a clearer progression and development… there were lots of little things. None of them fatal flaws, more like missed opportunities. Not that anyone can control all of those variables: each cask is a roll of the dice or a prayer to the whisky gods, and this turned out nicely, so I hate to quibble.
Overall, lovely stuff. The bar for Bowmore is properly high, so the score might have suffered a bit from the weight of my expectations.
Image Credit: Liquor Lineup
