1998 Berry Bros. & Rudd Bowmore, Cask Ref. 803732, Islay, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (50.2%)
About this SPIRIT
Bowmore Distillery, Islay
Bowmore Distillery, situated on the rugged Hebridean Island of Islay, was founded in 1779 and is the second oldest distillery in Scotland today. The distillery's location on this windswept isle has played an important part in determining the legendary smoky and rich character of the single malt whisky it produces.
Bowmore Single Malt is produced using water from the nearby Laggan River, which echoes the flavours of the Islay peat used in the fires of the malt-drying kiln. The distillery is among the last to have maintained a tradition of malting its own barley by hand, turning with wooden malt shovels. Around one-quarter of the malt needed for its whiskies is made in-house; the rest is bought in. The malt used has a phenol specification of 25-30 ppm.
Today, the distillery is owned by Beam Suntory, but tradition still reigns, with Warehouse No.1, standing right next to the sea, still the oldest whisky warehouse in use in Scotland. The character of the single malt is further developed here, where the whiskies are kept for up to 40 years in ex-Sherry and ex-Bourbon casks.
(Adapted from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2024)
Islay Whisky
The whisky region of Islay (pronounced eye-la) is arguably the most important 200 or so square miles in the whisky world. On the face of it Islay just another island of the Inner Hebrides. It lies in Argyll just to the west of Jura and around 25 miles north of the Irish coast, which can be seen on a clear day.
The island's fame as far as whisky goes is due to the 8 distilleries currently in production and the vast tracts of peat that cover most of the island's surface. The whisky distilleries are: Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman (this is the newest distillery on the island which started producing spirit in 2005), Lagavulinand Laphroaig.
The 8 distilleries with whisky for sale can be divided up, depending on the amount of peat used. The `big 3' are Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig who all produce powerful smoke laden whiskies. The new malt produced by Kilchoman is also very powerful indeed.
Occupying the middle ground are Bowmore and Caol Ila. The whiskies produced at Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain are in peat terms at least, the lightest.
There were more distilleries in the past: Port Ellen closed in 1983 while the Lochindaal at Port Charlotte closed in1929. The buildings at Port Ellen are however still in use, it is here that malted barley for the island's distilleries is produced.
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Description
Due to limited stocks, this spirit is limited to 1 bottle per customer.
‘Standing on the pier at Bowmore, in the howling rain, watching the sun attempt to rise on a frigid February morning was excellent preparation for a couple of hours spent nosing and tasting casks. Some were almost as confrontational as the storm that raged outside, but when that little touch of fruity sunlight shone through, those were the special barrels.’
Rob Whitehead, Spirits Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
The nose immediately gives Bowmore’s trademark fusion of soft coastal peat smoke and thick tropical fruits, however this whisky goes on, and on, developing into a sensory labyrinth of cigar smoke, harbour rope, grapefruit juice and dark chocolate. While the nose alone could keep one contented for hours, the palate is equally phenomenal; initially delicate peat smoke with slight spice before giving an explosion of pineapple and mouth watering guava on the back palate which lingers long on the finish. This whisky serves as an affirmation that late 1990s Bowmore is amongst the greatest whisky ever created.
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