Bowmore 1992 (26-Year, Single Cask)
50.1% ABV - Islay, Scotland
Nose: Ripe orange, hints of raisin, and sweet fruits. Mango and a delicate smoke—this has a delicate nose, overall. Tropical fruits start to emerge in time. No strong oak notes, but the wood is apparent.
Taste: Light at first, but then a wave of sherried tropical fruits come through. Creamier, oily texture compared to other Bowmore. Plenty of spices. Swedish berries and hard candy.
Finish: Savoury smoke and dried fruits, with some soapy citrus. Medium-long finish.
I think that I will always lament for not picking up a second bottle of this Bowmore—although, that’s really tough to say. There were three available when I purchased it… still on the shelf two years after it was released! I figured that the bottles would continue to collect dust. I never thought it would sell so soon after I purchased it. This is by far and large one of the most expensive whiskies I have purchased, and, truthfully, I probably couldn’t have justified another bottle… but that could-have, should-have feeling. Now it’s a bit out of reach too, with the secondary market commanding somewhere near double its original price. Definitely not a price I could recommend this whisky at anymore.
But you don’t care about the price, per se, you care about what’s in the bottle, right? Well, this here 26-Year Bowmore has been matured entirely in a single, first-fill ex-Sherry Puncheon… and that’s quite a treat. It’s a drinking and thinking whisky. It’s really easy to have a sip, swirl it around, and space out while you appreciate that finish (one of the best finishes for a whisky I’ve ever had). Deep. Complex. I’ll find new flavours the longer I go into this session or if I play with adding water. Lots to explore.
At the pace I am reaching for this bottle, it has about another year in it before it’s gone! I’ll probably decant 4oz into a smaller bottle soon as I think I hit the 50% mark with my pour for this review.
Note: This Bowmore 1992 Single Cask Release 26-Year was tasted with the 15-Year and The Devil’s Casks II 10-Year. Check out the other reviews to see how they compared!
Details: Distilled 1992, Bottled 2018. Bottled for Canada. Bottle No. 472 of 535.
Tasting Notes (Official): Matured in a single first-fill puncheon, unlock layers of rich spices and sweet fruit. Meticulous maturation in Bowmore’s legendary No.1 Vaults unlocks rich spices, smouldering logs and roasted coffee, perfectly balanced with baked plums, vanilla and treacle.
Tasted 11 April 2022. (Posted 07 January 2023.)
