Just last week I posted a review of 2001 Bowmore (from Maltbarn), and as coincidence would have it, here is one again. I actually tasted this head-to-head, although at the time I didn’t know it. This particular Bowmore 2001 from The Whisky Agency was part of the blind tasting of the Dutch Whisky Forum. And just like the one from Maltbarn, this also spend all of its life in a refill sherry butt.
Bowmore 2001/2013 (52,9%, The Whisky Agency, 484 bts.)
Nose: Campfire, wood smoke and ashy. Salty with wood spices, cinnamon maybe. Then a layer of fruitiness, mostly yellow fruits (banana) and maybe some tropical influence as well. Also creamy vanilla. The nose gets more sugary with time.
Taste: Creamy and mouthcoating with pepper and peat. More wood smoke and drying as well, but also very fresh at the same time. Not a lot of fruit here, maybe some citrus notes.
Finish: Mostly peat and ash. Both linger for quite some time.
Rating: 85
It shows quite some similarities to the Bowmore bottled by Maltbarn. The one major difference is that this one smells less mature, and shows a little bit less depth. It is good whisky nonetheless, and if you’re a fan of young Bowmore, you can’t go wrong with this one. Still available here, although probably not for long.