Bowmore 25 Year (1996) Single Malts of Scotland

Scotch Whisky Review : Bowmore 25 Year (1996) Single Malts of Scotland

Distillery: Bowmore.

Region: Islay..

Bottler: Elixir Distillers.

Age: 25 year. Distilled on May 7th, 1996 and bottled on August 19th, 2021.

ABV: 54.3%.

Cask Type: Hogshead.

Cask Number: 1367.

Price: $415 in Lincoln, NE.

Color: 1.0, Deep Copper.

Nose: Opening this bottle was a bit of a wild trip. It was like I was letting out a wave of smoke just by opening it, even before I poured anything. I really reminded me of the 30 year old Bowmore chosen by Mercury’s Selection I’d had a couple of years ago. After leaving it to sit in my glass and air out for a while, it’s like the smoke has up and wafted off. Instead you’re left with intense earthy and fruity notes. The earthy notes were full of umami reminding me of sauteed mushrooms, barbecue pellets, and a bit of peated malt. Grilled pineapple and maybe some pineapple upside down cake came to mind for the fruity side.

Palate: At full strength, it is a touch hot. A couple of drops of water calms it down but I found it did better with a little more water as the notes intensified up a bit. Compared to the nose, this is a lot more delicate and muted. It is earthy and smoky with cigars come to mind. The grilled fruit notes from the nose are here in the form of grilled lemon and grilled pineapple. There’s a slight floral note here as well, though I can’t quite place what it is. I’ve found hibiscus before in Bowmore but I don’t think it’s that.

Finish: Shorter than I would have liked. It is meaty with umami notes that remind me a lot of burnt ends, the particularly charred bits. Getting closer to the end of the glass, it seems to have an additive effect where the finish builds up to be longer. It’s a bit sooty/ashy, much as if you’ve munched on too many of the ultra charred bits of burnt ends in a row.

Conclusion: It isn’t every day I get to find some old Bowmore on the shelves in Eastern Nebraska so I was really surprised to see this Single Malts of Scotland Bowmore collecting dust on the shelf. I’ve heard great things about Bowmore from the mid-to-late 90s but haven’t actually had a whole lot from the era. The nose on this thing is absolutely top tier. Just opening the bottle unleashes a wave of smoke. That doesn’t sit around for long though before giving way to some great earthy, umami, and fruity notes. Sadly, the palate and finish don’t quite live up to the nose, though they are quite good in their own regard. The nose will be one I’ll remember for a very long time though and a great reminder of just how great Bowmore can be.

Rating: 85.

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Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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