Bowmore 22 Years Old 1992 Authentic Collection (50.8%, Cadenheads, Bourbon HH, 204 Bottles, 2015)

Whisky Review

• Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Bowmore Distillery
• Bottler: Wm Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection
• ABV: 50.8%
• Cost: ~ £90
• Score: 87/100

What they say:

Distilled at the Bowmore Distillery in 1992, this has matured a full 22 years in a bourbon hogshead before bottling in January 2015, producing 204 bottles at outturn of cask strength 50.8% ABV.

What I say:

Another Cadenhead’s bottling sampled at the Edinburgh University Water of Life society meeting. This time a single cask example matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead from Bowmore.

Colour:

Amontillado gold (6/20) numerous large oily tears

Nose:

Musty and peaty, lemon juice, earthy peat, malty, dusty cereal barley flour, sweet vanilla, pastries – vanilla slice or Danish, sweet vanilla icing or frosting, sponge cake.

Taste:

Rich golden syrup and treacle, thick barley malt, dry earthy peat, oyster sauce, brine/sea salt, salted caramels, flinty, charcoal, lemon cream puff biscuits, mothballs and eucalyptus oil

Finish:

Long, oily, earthy peat, eucalyptus and honey

Overall:

Not massively complex, this has a depth of flavours that really define its character. Yes there is peat here and a little salt as this is unmistakably an Islay malt. On that there is a little lemon and a lot of vanilla – thanks to the long time in the ex-bourbon cask. Then things get a little interesting flint and eucalyptus can be dangerous territory and often off-putting for me, but here they spice it up a little and keep things interesting. In the end I developed a healthy appreciation for this single cask expression.