Whisky Review: Bowmore 26 Years Old 1989 Authentic Collection

Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky

Origin: Bowmore Distillery

Bottling: Cadenhead’s; Authentic Collection

ABV: 56.5%

Cost: ~ £150 at auction

What they say:

A 26 year old Bowmore bottled by Cadenhead’s.

Distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2015 from a single bourbon hogshead.

One of 210 bottles.

What I say:

A 26 year old single cask Bowmore, distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2015, produced by Cadenheads and barley costing 3 figures unlike official Bowmore bottlings.

Colour:

Antique champagne gold (5/20), quick large tears & medium legs

Nose:

Chalky, vanilla and fruit, peach, banana, mango, pineapple, gentle peat smoke, seashells/calcium carbonate, perfumed, dusty, floral violets, talcum powder (a hint of the famed Bowmore FWP?)

Taste:

Rounded and lively on the palate, hints of spices, peaty edge and fruity, love heart sweeties, zesty sherbet but well-sugared and with a richness of honey & syrup too, thins and a little heat appears with more peat and drying tannic tea, wood & charcoal.

Finish:

Long, sweet icing sugar, dusty char and wood, charcoal and parma violets

Overall:

A little reserved, old and tempered peat allows a little cereal, fruit and florality to shine through, my final comment was ‘it is still punchier than official bottlings’ – of which I have found rather tame of late!

Score: 87/100

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