TWE have recently added some very exciting Exclusives, of which I am about to review three. The first of which is already online and is a signatory bottling, of a very popular Islay distillery – no other than Bowmore. Drawn from a single cask, there are just 233 bottles of this stuff. Not really sure about cask profile, but from the color , it seems like an ex-bourbon cask… bottled at CS of / 55.6%, NCV and no coloring added as always with Signatory Vintage.
Bowmore 2001 15 Year Old (cask #20117)- TWE Exclusive Signatory , 55.6% , £160
Nose: Imagine you’re walking inside and apple orchard , just a few meters from the seashore on Islay. This is exactly how this feels : soft apples, orchard fruit and a nice sea-breeze, some sea salt. There’s also a touch of freshly baked buttered croissant, and a hint of melon and some lime, which adds freshness. Not very peaty at all.
Palate: Sweet and salty at the first time! quite a bit of that sea-salt and , a big oily fruity mouthful as well – interesting! there’s some tarry notes (think tarry rope), and finally we’ve got PEAT. yes, not a very biting sort of peaty tang, but earthy and lovely, some soot and more of the apples / fruity notes. Like!
Finish: earthy peat, more of the tar, salt and a peppery twist. Blimey. It’s lovely.
I was quite surprised with this Bowmore. It really feels much gentler than the 55.6% abv Cask Strength whisky that it is. It’s fruity, yet tarry, it’s sweet, yet salty and it feels just awesome. I have to say this is one of the better Bowmores I’ve had in a long long time. Really Special stuff. Class Act. No less. Don’t expect a lot of peat if that what you’re after. But otherwise, mamma mia. I love it.
Score: 91/100
Still available online on TWE… (be quick!)