Loved by whisky aficionados around the globe, we take a look at why Bowmore is one of the best Scotch whiskies you can buy.
“If you can’t find a Bowmore to fall in love with, you may have to consider very seriously the possibility that you’re wasting your money drinking whisky at all,” the late Scottish science fiction writer Iain Banks once quipped.
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An Islay distiller highly prized for its unique flavour profile – dark peat, perfumed smoke and a smoky, long finish – Bowmore is one of the most esteemed names in whisky, and its limited edition bottles such as the 1980 Queen’s Visit, which commemorates a visit from Elizabeth II and is limited to 156 bottles, and the Devil’s Cask range, are highly sought after by collectors and auction houses alike.
Some of its bottles have generated big money: a one-of-a-kind 51-year-old single malt presented in a hand-blown black glass vessel sold at Sotheby’s inaugural The Distillers One of One auction in 2021 for US$532,000. A rare collection of five bottles of Black Bowmore, housed in a handcrafted cabinet that doubles as a functioning bar, went under the hammer for US$563,000 in the same year at Sotheby’s and set a new record for the Scotch brand at auction.
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Producing whisky since 1779 on the shores of Loch Indaal, a sea loch opening out onto the Atlantic, Bowmore is the oldest licensed distillery on the isle of Islay, a seaside isle that’s renowned for its rugged quartzite rocks, salt marshes, wetlands and heather moorland.
Home to one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses, the No. 1 Vaults, Bowmore single malts have been matured for more than 240 years in this legendary old stone warehouse, utilising hand-turned barley from the distillery’s malt barns and soft, freshwater from the nearby River Laggan. The distillery creates whiskies that are celebrated for their complex balance of mild Islay smokiness, maritime minerality and abundance of fresh stone fruit notes. The core range includes the 12-year-old (peat smoke, honey and lemon zest), 15-year-old (rich raisins, gentle smoke) and 18-year-old (ripe fruit, dark chocolate and Islay smoke).
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There are plenty of special editions, too, like the Black Bowmore DB5 1964, featuring a genuine Aston Martin DB5 piston inside a handcrafted bottle that’s become one of the most sought-after single malts ever created. Limited to 25 bottles, this 1964 vintage was aged in a Williams & Himber walnut brown oloroso sherry butt and retails for around £210,000.
To recreate the myths of Islay, meanwhile, the brand partnered with graphic artist Frank Quitely, a Scottish creative who’s worked with DC Comics. Available as a 23-year-old or 32-year-old whisky, No Corners to Hide is inspired by the story of a sighting of the devil at Bowmore’s church and features some hell-raising artwork. Alternatively, The Changeling series focuses on the legendary story of the Blacksmith’s son and his transformation, with 22-year-old and 32-year-old vintages part of this highly collectible range. Other highly sought-after Bowmore whiskies include the Bowmore Dragon Edition 36-Year Old aged in sherry casks, a China exclusive limited to 888 bottles.
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If you find yourself in Islay, then make a beeline for Bowmore’s visitor’s centre and the Bowmore tasting bar, which overlooks Loch Indaal, and select a wee dram or two from the tasting menu. Want to stick around a little longer? There’s even an Islay festival, Feis Ile, which is held in the last week of May annually. Here, guests can sip on limited-edition whiskies, tour the distillery and enjoy some live music.
Why not stay at the Bowmore Distillery Cottages, which were once home to Bowmore distillery workers and date back to the 1840s? Alternatively, book a room in The Harbour Inn, a charming whitewashed hotel in the heart of Bowmore that offers seven spacious en-suite bedrooms and dining with spectacular views over the loch.
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