Bowmore Tempest has been one of my go-to Bowmores in recent years, with a few bottles polished off from older batches (1,2). I can say I’ve tried all batches until now, (with batch 1,3 as my favourites). A few months ago I compared Batches 3&4 head to head, and found batch 3 Brilliant (have a look here). So as you can see I had to try the latest batch (number 5) which was released last April. Bearing an age statement of 10 years old, and bottled at a lovely 55.9%, I had expected it to be somehow similar to Batches 3 and 4, but man was I for a surprise! (and a good one, that is). It’s so different, but ever so brilliant too!
Bowmore Tempest 10 Year Old – Batch 5 , 55.9%, £49
Nose: Starts much sweeter than I had expected. Lots of vanilla and sea spray , sweet peat smoke and wood resin. Mega creamy. Vanilla ice cream topped with ripe peaches. Its just like eating an ice cream cone while sitting on the Islay beach. Very nice! Much sweeter than batch 4 or 3…
Palate: Starts smooth , creamy and vanilla like. Very much like the nose . Nuts & almonds with icing sugar and a touch of saltiness too. Peach and ripe mandarin marmalade on top. Whiffs of peat and chilly peppers.
Finish : Salty and fruity at the same time (possible!!) Tangerine jam and vanilla on burnt toasted rye.
A complete different animal than either batch 3/4, but what a brilliant dram. Feels much more mature than its 10 years, and boy oh boy that vanilla, fruit and sea spray works wonders! Kudus to Bowmore for another Brilliant (and so different!) batch of this affordable 10 year old. Magic!
Score: 90/100
Official sample provided by Bowmore distillery.
BIG want!