It seems that The Whisky Agency has worked on an extensive series of ‘friends’ bottlings. A lot of them are celebrating anniversaries as well, like The Nectar, Sansibar, Whisky Agents…
I have a dozen samples waiting and I decided to go for Bowmore first. Three Bowmores from the same era, with similar ABV’s.
Bowmore 22 yo 2004 (49,2%, The Whisky Agency for ARen Trading 2026, first-fill barrel)
Nose: starts mineral, on salt-laden sea air, along with some bread dough. There’s also lime, gooseberries, with flashes of pineapple and passion fruit syrup. Plenty of lemon liqueur and a hint of dried herbs and mint. After a while a hint of wax candles appears. Only very subtle smoke here.
Mouth: very round and oily. Lots of citrus fruits (lemon and grapefruit) with warmer hints of papaya, mango and vanilla. Then back to oyster brine and mineral notes, as well as herbal notes and light peat. Delicate candied ginger in the background. Becoming more zesty as it fades.
Finish: medium length, still fairly delicate but perfectly balanced. Echoes of bright fruits, minerals and seaweed.
Immaculate Bowmore with a very bright nose and a lovely elegance. I can already say this was the most delicate of this session. ARen Trading (Michael Hsieh) is in Taiwan but I noticed some bottles are also available in Germany.
Bowmore 17 yo 2008 (49,2%, The Whisky Agency for Whisky Agents 2026, refill sherry hogshead)
Nose: just a bit more on the warm side. Instead of the sauvignon-like notes there are nice peachy notes joining the limes and apples. Perhaps a hint of clay and chalk underneath, as well as light engine oil. Later also a hint of tangerine and subtle vanilla. Rounder and slightly more weighty than the 2004.
Mouth: this one is more full-bodied. It offers a nice waxy feel and more coastal elements than the 2004. At the same time it brings some tropical notes to the table, especially mango I’d say, along with a syrupy passion fruit flavour. Then also a dash of saltwater, some seaweed and citrus zests.
Finish: longer, with a peppery warmth coming forward, minerals and still this tropical fruitiness.
Pretty excellent. There’s no real sherry here but somehow it added some richness and weight. Add to this some pronounced tropical notes on the palate and you have a great modern Bowmore. I’m not sure whether this is sold out or still to appear online. Score: 91/100
Bowmore 20 yo 2006 (51,9%, The Whisky Agency for The Nectar 2026)
Nose: closer to orchard fruits again. Pears and peaches up front. Also oranges and the almost fragrant side of mangosteen. More vanilla and sweet malty notes as well. Overall the closest to Irish whiskey perhaps. By now we’ve almost become immune for the peat that must be inside – hardly noticeable.
Mouth: tropical notes again – mango and passion fruit compote. This mixes with elegant smoky notes and subtle floral elements. Then some balanced oak spice while the coastal hints and brine are less pronounced than in the others.
Finish: long, more floral than the others, with lingering fruits and hints of iodine.
Hard to pick a favourite here – all three are worth checking out. They all have a similar amount of tropical fruits so it comes down to personal preferences. This one seems to be sold out (at Broekmans at least). Score: 90/100