Long delayed tasting of Bowmores finally took place as a celebration of our friend Sergii birthday.
General line-up is as shown: Clynelish 14 yo as a welcome drink and 7 Bowmores afterwards.
Clynelish 14 yo 46% - very good as usual. One of the best whiskies below 50 euro mark. Will put it shortly: minerals, wax, sea and lemon. Some salt also. Score = 85/100!
Bowmore 2002 JW Wanted 57.7% - smoke, sea, some powder in the nose. Palate is strong (actually it's quite young), I get some eau de parfume (which is very typical for Bowmores) and burning leaves. Nice young Bowmore it is, 22 21 21 22, 86/100!
Bowmore 2003 JW Wanted 52.4% - much more mellow and elegant in the nose, sweet and creamy on a palate! Sweet rubber in the aftertaste. Will try to remember it, Pinki + Brain = 22 22 22 22, 88/100!
Bowmore 1996 JW Wanted 43.3% - quite similar to the first one (Red Indian Chief), more apples in the nose, the taste is quite harsh, perfumery and bitter, not so pleased with this one. 22 21 21 21, 85/100!
Bowmore 1996 JW Wanted 53.3% - oh yeah, eau de parfume, leaves, rubber, sea and menthol. 22 22 22 22, 88/100!
Bowmore 1990 McC 52.2% - needs some time and warmth. Touches of apples and peat in the nose, salty taste, a bit of oak in a finish. I liked the nose most of all, 23 22 21 22, 88/100!
Bowmore 1985 SV 51.6% - interesting story with this one, scores between 75/100 and 91/100 for the same release from Kiev maniacs. Did they pour different whisky in the same bottles?. .Nose: eau de cologne, quite unpleasant. Taste: some shampoo?.. I can't proceed, let it be 78/100, though it's not the whisky I'd like to make another sip of.
Bowmore 1988 21 yo Port Cask 51.5% - lots of hopes for this one, though I'm a bit shocked again. Nice perfumes and raspberry in the nose, though taste and finish are quite disappointing. What I get from it is 22 20 21 21, 84/100, I will definitely retaste it.
And coup de grace later in the night - Benrinnes 26 yo The Bottlers!
Nose: all shades of monster sherry cask - chocolate, coffee, prunes, red fruits (cherries, red apples, strawberries), tobacco, old leather, some smoke and lots of oak.
Taste: quite tannic, fruity and strong.
Finish: on oak and chocolate.
Overall: it's your whisky if you like sherry and oak :)
Score: 23 23 23 23, 92/100!
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