Bowmore 26 Year Old The Vintner's Trilogy II / French Oak Barrique

 

Islay's oldest working distillery, Bowmore was established in 1779 and is now regarded as one of the most popular malts not only on Islay, but in the whole of Scotland. The distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison in 1963, ushering in an era of iconic single malts, including the legendary Black Bowmore, credited by many as the genesis of whisky collecting, bottled in 1995. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year prior (they had been stakeholders since 1989), and it remains one of the most collectible brands in Scotch whisky today. Bowmore is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries to use its own floor maltings, providing them with 40% of their requirements.

Released in 2017, this Bowmore has been aged for 13 years in ex-bourbon barrels before spending an additional 13 years in French oak wine barriques.

It was the second instalment of the Vintner's Trilogy, which also boasted a Manzanilla cask finished 18 year old, and a 27 year old port cask single malt.
 

    Nose:    Redcurrant jam, camphor oil and cherry pie intermingle with earthy smoke.

    Taste:    Tropical fruits such as papaya and mango and a honeyed sweetness with the addition of water.

    Finish:    Oak spiced smoke and rich dark chocolate with a hint of salt.

Note: Product has come from a private collection, minor markings are inevitable and collectors should have reasonable expectations in this regard.