2011-04 Bowmore And Blackadder

Waiter waiter there's some soot in my whisky!

Over two nights 54 whisky tasters checked out three official bottlings and four independant expressions of Bowmore.

One of these was an exceptional Raw Cask Blackadder 21 year old Bowmore from bourbon hogshead 2783. Matt Mueller had kindy brought this back for us from London, along with a Raw Cask Blackadder Glendullan 11 year old 58.7% from Sherry Butt 6816.

These Blackadders are real special. They are so coursely filtered that a black soot remains in the whisky bottle! Charred husks from the barley, traces of copper from the still and shavings of oak from the barrel all in their glory. This is whisky at its most natural. Wow.

As if that wasn't enough we also had a preview of the 42ppm 100% peated malted barely beer Rex Attitude from Yeast Boys (see other review).

As can happen however, the finest whiskies are in ultra low supply, but we will do our best to obtain what we can for you.

The ratings were:

Bowmore 12 yo Adelphi 1998-2010 61.9% 566 bottles from cask 800017.
Came 1st. Score 9.33.
Sharp and deep nose with toffee apples, sulphur, wet forest, coffee, iodine, ash, maple, rum'n'raisin, cigars , grapes, dry side, grass, bourbon, toast, french cafe, caramel.
Appley palate, big, silky thick, sweet alc, sulphur hessian, not so oily but grass, ash, bitter sweet, mid and high spectrum with buttery shortbread.
Chilli chocolate in the finish with seaweed, smoke, astringently dry, big heat, long and rich.
The highest cask strength bottling wins again, but hey, it's Adelphi.

Bowmore 21 yo Raw Cask Blackadder 48.7% 257 bottles from hogshead 2783 8 Dec 1987 - Feb 2009 NC2
Came Second. Score 9.31.
Sweet Lychee nose, not so Islay but some coast smoke, hint of medicinal iodine, peach jubes, aged, creamy balance, salty leather, the gym, talc, dusty, floral, soot and chocolate putty.
Big palate, oily and salt with sweet strawberry notes, chlorine, carraway and Bowmore classic flavours.
Perfumed finish, dry car, long, chocolatey, clean grass, bacon, smoke and dutch liquorice.

Glendullan 11 yo Raw Cask Blackadder 58.7% Sherry Butt 6816 Dec 1994 to Feb 2006 625 bottles NC2
Came 3rd. Score 8.91.
Mapley nose, sweet waffles, coconut, caramel, not Islay, dettol and wood.
Big, sweet palate, freshly squeezed OJ, sherry wood, cask alc.
Raisiny finish, salty marmalade, not sticky, figs, builds, wet cardboard, charred wood, long and sooty

Bowmore Darkest 15 yo 43%
Came 4th. Score 8.81.
Oaky red nose, hessian sacks, leather, sweet, Xmas cake, chocolate, sherry, gingerale, maple, 25yo? old library, dryer, grainy, wet parker, beech tree, besements, sherry, liquour and peat.
Pretty nice palate, rich cardboard, a smooth date (silky, everything in the right place), oily, chocolate, linseed hessian, cookies, sweet, medium alc and cigars.
Old engines on the finish, smoke, sweet, spice, dry astringent, fizz, hot and long.

Bowmore OMC 15 yo 50% March 1992 to Nov 2007 357 bottles from refill hogshead 3972.
Came 5th. Score 8.29.
Tequila on the nose with raw gumboots, vanilla, bourbon, raw potato, yeast, grassy, green peas, wallpaper paste, salty tang, young rubber and a hint of lemongrass and baby sick.
Tequila palate, almond icing, chocolate, bitter petrol, cask strength.
Vanilla finish, pepper and salt, cigar ash, Isly smoke, fruity, dusty and long.

Bowmore 25 yo 43%
Came 6th. Score 7.9.
Sweet nose with brown sugar, chocolate, icing, toffee, sticky date pudding, cognac, brandy snaps, fabric bandage, lavender, pears, fruity, cherries, honey, leather tang, mash, cork, oily tobacco, burning clutch, powdery, nutmeg, espresso beans and raspberry drops.
Floral palate with lots of oils, childhood memories, cough syrup, hint of soap, waxy false teeth (fangs), perfumed and vibrant alc.
Bitter chocolate finish, oilskin coats, coat hangers, red wine note, bloody mary, fizz, builds, good length, lavender, smoke, salty violets, tang.
Newcomers were not impressed, some giving it away even. Others loved it. A pity the bottling doesn't give any info on wood types, filtering or colouring statement or age composition.

Bowmore Secret Stills G&M distillery 4 release 9 April 1991 to Nov 2008 45% 1300 bottles from refill sherry hogsheads 1226-1229.
Came 7th. Score 7.66.
Floral pollened nose, salty smoke, smells like Rex Attitude Beer, with bananas, lemons, light sulphur note, low in oak, dry powder, milk chocolate, juicy fruit, liquorice, hair, Islay iodine, bourbon and peat.
An easy palate, thick oils, salt, smooth, lame even, but tasty, liquorice, smoke, brown sugar, sherbert, like drinking a fish.
Bitter finish with smoke, salty leather, a beginner's Islay, mescal, rubber, medium length.
Dryer than the official Bowmore bottlings, smokier too.

Bowmore 12 yo 43% (mystery)
Came 8th. Score 7.49.
Peachy nose, raisins, toasted muslie, sherry, sweet lollies, tangerines, marshmallows, leather, caramel toffee, salt, musty, softly Islay, smokey cat, old, gear diff oil, wax and camels.
Oily palate, easy alc, younger than it looks, salt, quaffable, bitter chocolate and hint of peat.
Bitter sappy finish with astringent sherry, ginger, and a hint of smoke.

The Products...

Bowmore 12Yo 700Ml
Bowmore 12 yo 43% (mystery) Score 7.49 at our Bowmore tastings April 201...
$59.95 sale! 700 MLS

Bowmore Darkest 15 Yo 43% 700Ml
Reviewed and rated at our Bowmore tasting nights April 2011 Bowmore Darkest 15 yo 43% C...
$141.95 700 MLS

Secret Stills (Bowmore) 17Yo 45%
Bowmore Secret Stills G&M distillery 4 release 9 April 1991 to Nov 2008 45% 1300 b...
$99.25 700 MLS

Bowmore 25Yo 700Ml
Bowmore 25 yo 43% Reviewed at our Bowmore tastings April 2011: ...
$396.95 700 MLS

Staff Recommendations

KIERAN

And the good weather starts! I had a fantastic roast shoulder of lamb on the weekend.

DANIEL

Give me big flavour at cask strength if possible please.

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12-May-2012 - Free Mt Difficulty wine tasting starting in 10 mins. Plus we have 20 fill your own taps as of yesterday...great... Click Here

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