I usually don’t publish multiple messages in a single day, but let’s break that habit and throw in a review of a new Whisky Agency release right away!
When I first read about this Bowmore 1995 and the fact that it was matured in an ex-sherry cask, I was hoping for something close to the Bowmore 1995 by Single Malts of Scotland. The colour is very different though. As I mentioned before, half of this cask was bottled by The Nectar of the Daily Drams at a lower strength of 46%.
Bowmore 15 yo 1995 (54,1%,
The Whisky Agency – Anatomy series 2010, ex-sherry butt, 132 btl.)
Bowmore 15 yo 1995 (54,1%,Nose: despite the difference in colour, the first impressions of the nose are very similar to the SMOS bottling. Leather, big hints of kelp, pipe tobacco, walnuts… A couple of wet dogs. After a while it becomes clear that the TWA release has less emphasis on chocolate and dried fruits, yet more coastal / mineral notes and whiffs of fresher fruits (orange zest, lemon or yellow plums). The longer you let them breathe, the further they move away from each other. Overall the TWA nose is cleaner, albeit a little less expressive and less complex. But still very nice.
Mouth: very punchy, with heavy earthy peat, some ginger and pepper and a faint honeyed edge. Hints of oranges and leather again. Almost none of the sherry / chocolate notes that we found in the SMOS version. Again: cleaner and simpler.
Finish: less dry than its sister, with more oranges, peat and a hint of salt.
Well, this Bowmore 1995 has a slightly different profile than the SMOS bottling. There’s less sherry influence so the end result is a little cleaner and a little more straightforward. Still these 1995 casks all seem to be of high quality.
Around € 70.
Score: 88/100