Bowmore

Bowmore Whisky is the gentleman among the Islay malts. The smoke is reminiscent of an extinguished campfire on the beach. The maritime flavour of Bowmore is unmistakable. Although the peat smoke is distinctive, it is not as extreme as that of neighbouring distilleries Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin. Bowmore is not only Islay's oldest whisky distillery, it also represents the geographical and aromatic centre of the island. A typical maritime Islay whisky and at the same time smooth and mellow. The perfect introduction to the world of the world-famous whisky island off the west coast of Scotland. The perfect blend of campfire smoke and sweet sherry fruit can be found in the Bowmore 15 Year Old Sherry Cask Finish.

Of devils and swimming pools

Bowmore is the single malt from Islay's capital. It has the same name as the distillery and is...well...very small for a capital city. Apart from the distillery, the most remarkable building is certainly Kilarrow Parish Church. The church is round - so the devil can't hide in any corner. But perhaps he would rather take the few steps down Church Street to the distillery anyway. On the one hand, the distillery is very tradition-conscious and is one of the few distilleries that still has its own malt house and floor maltings. As one of the few distilleries in Scotland, Bowmore's kiln is not just there for decoration. Some of the malt is smoked on site over peat, giving it its typical smoky character. On the other hand, Bowmore is very modern when it comes to ecology. Waste heat from the distillation process is used to heat the neighbouring swimming pool, for example. Bowmore is the gentleman among the Islay whiskies. Although it is also strongly smoky, its character is more elegant and softer than its neighbours Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Bowmore is particularly good at working with sherry casks. Many Bowmore whiskies mature in these sherry casks, where they take on a dark colour and fruity aromas. Bowmore probably also holds the record for the most maritime whisky maturation. This is because the warehouses in which Bowmore whisky is matured are so close to the sea that the waves crash against the outer walls. Some of the whisky is actually stored below sea level. More sea is probably not possible.

What does Bowmore mean? The literal translation of Bowmore is "great reef".

Where is Bowmore? Bowmore is a classic Islay whisky and is located in the village of the same name on Loch Indaal, a large bay on the island of Islay.

3 reasons to love Bowmore

1) Because the 862 inhabitants of the capital are rightly proud of their malt.

2) Because it is still traditionally malted here.

3) Because no whisky has more sea in it.

What does Bowmore whisky taste like?

Bowmore is not only geographically in the centre of Islay, but also in terms of taste. The malts aren't quite as powerful and peaty as those from Lagavulin, Ardbeg or Laphroaig. But the Islay character is unmistakable. Peat, ash, smoke and above all: the sea! You can smell and taste the sea, the spray and the salty sea air. This basic character is skilfully combined with warm toffee from ex-bourbon casks or dark fruit from ex-sherry casks. Dates wrapped in bacon and chocolate are therefore often found in tasting notes. Older bottlings often have a delicately sweet, fruity flavour with hints of peach or apricot. "Maritime smoky peach"? Great!"

Our Bowmore recommendations:

In our opinion, one of the best Bowmore single malts is the Bowmore 15 Year Old Sherry Cask Finish, formerly known as "The Darkest". A soft and balanced smoky whisky that combines all the Bowmore characteristics.

A little Bowmore history

Bowmore was founded by one David Simson back in 1779 - making the distillery one of the oldest in Scotland. And undoubtedly the oldest distillery in Islay. At least as far as legal distilling is concerned. As with almost every Scottish distillery, the following decades were characterised by many changes of ownership. The most important milestones are as follows:

In 1925, the distillery became the property of Sheriff's Bowmore Distillery Ltd. In 1963, Bowmore was taken over by Stanley P. Morrison Ltd. who also owned Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch. The casks of the legendary and rare "Black Bowmore" also date from this year. Since 1994, the Morrison-Bowmore company has been in Japanese hands - as part of the Suntory Group. Following the merger of Jim Beam and Suntory in 2014 to form Beam Suntory, Laphroaig also belongs to the family.

Figures & Facts about Bowmore

Address: School Street, Bowmore, Isle of Islay, Argyll PA43 7GS

Founded: 1779 by David Simson

Owner: Morrison Bowmore Distillers (Suntory)

Status: active

Region: Islay Whisky

Whisky type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Smoke content: heavily peated/ heavily peated/ heavily smoky 25-30 ppm

Water: River Laggan

Mashtun: Semi Lauter stainless steel, 8 tonnes

Washbacks: 6, Douglas Spruce

Fermentation: 62 hours

Bourbon stills: 2 wash stills (30.940 litres), 2 spirit stills (14,750/14,637 litres)

Capacity: approx. 2,150.000 litres per year

Visitor Centre: Yes

Phone: +44 (0)1496 810441

Website: www.bowmore.com