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This one must have been sourced at Gordon & MacPhail 's. Colour: gold. Nose: well, it is not one of these extravagantly tropical Bowmores from the mid-1960s at first nosing, it's even unusually silent, rather on soot, grass and rhubarb. Strange? No, because the passion fruits and the mangos are soon to appear and to keep growing steadily, calmly… There's also some pu-erh tea, blood oranges, brine, kippers, a little cardamom, leather, old books… It all gets more and more complex, more and more multi-dimensional. In the end, some big bold notes of pink grapefruit start to rule, which is very typical in my opinion. Having said that, it's not exactly a punchy nose, much less so than, for example, the Black Bowmores. Mouth: well in the style of most Bowmores from the mid-1960s. Bags of citrus and other tropical fruits plus a mild smokiness and a slightly drying spiciness (cinnamon, nutmeg). Grapefruits, papayas, mangos, a little bananas, touches of candy sugar as well, pepper… No big peat but that was to be expected. Excellent, should I add 'of course', even if it's maybe not one of the best ever. Finish: long, with more and more pepper and, maybe a wee cardboardy side in the aftertaste. That's its only flaw, and it's a tiny flaw. Comments: it's actually punchier and less 'smooth and fruity' than others. The sherry is relatively discreet, it's not a jammy one like in, say the Blacks or the Bicentenary. SGP:764 - 92 points.
Distillery | Bowmore |
Classification | Single Malt Whisky |
Bottle No./Released | 7/- |
Vintage | 1965 |
Age | 20 |
Bottler | Gordon & MacPhail |
Bottling Date | 1985 |
ABV/ Volume | 48.5%/ 75cl |
Rating/SGP | 92/764 |
Cask Number | - |
Type: Islay - Beam Suntory