Bowmore 13 Years Old 2001 Authentic Collection (56.6%, Cadenheads, Bourbon HH, 270 Bottles, 2014)

56.6% ABV, £51.90 for 70cl from Cadenheads Whisky Shop

Score: 79/100

What they say:

Distilled at Bowmore Distillery in 2001 and matured in a bourbon hogshead for 13 years before bottling in October 2014 to produce 270 bottles.

Nose: Wet smoke, lots of vanilla, quite oily, with smoked meats and heather honey, it’s another of those great Bowmore vintages that take you to a warm summer by the sea.

Palate: A dry wood fire as one would hope with coal dust and then some golden syrup takes this dram across the palate with a touch of lemon and a hint of cumin. Yes this is an Islay

Finish: Dry spices start off the finish then incomes dry smoke and a touch of passion fruit to give that sweet smoke ending we all love from Bowmore.

What I say:

The final dram of WOLS 14/7 whisky and chocolate pairing tasting with The Chocolate Tree.

Colour:

Straw gold

Nose:

Sweet heather honey and vanilla, cereal barley malt and oak wood, bonfire smoke wafts in with hints of burning green wood and autumn leaves

Taste:

Honey and golden syrup drizzled over cereal wheat and barley, the characteristic young Bowmore lemon acidity is a little creamier in this dram like lemon curd, with vanilla and coconut milk the peat smoke is gentle and has touches of wood burning stoves

Finish:

Short/medium sweet lemon smokiness

Overall:

Not a stunning dram but a better offering than some of the younger, electric lemon offerings from the distillery itself. More pleasurable than licking a plug socket, this one had a creaminess and temperance to the peaty/smoy elements that made it very easy drinking. Approved by non-peaty drammers as accessible and enjoyable.