No shortage of Bowmore these days, and no shortage of good Bowmore either. The Thompson Brothers recently had two bottlings as well: a 2004 and 2014 vintage.
Bowmore 21 yo 2004 (51,8%, Thompson Bros. for Dornoch Castle 2025, refill cask #28, 289 btl.)
Nose: quite delicate and mineral, making it slightly less expressive than other 2004s I’ve had. More sandy than smoky. Light peach, lemon, green gooseberries and green apple. Then subtle camphor, oysters and some dried herbs. The exotic side is there but struggles to make itself heard.
Mouth: again a little more maritime than similar bottlings. There’s saltwater, lots of smoked lemons now, along with cold ashes. Pink grapefruit and kiwi appear later, with more salt and pepper. Subtle leather, citronella and sea shells as well.
Finish: quite long, on peppery brine, lemons and a light grassy side.
Very good, but slightly more austere and missing some of the tropical character that we love so much. One of these near-misses.
Bowmore 11 yo 2014 (56,8%, Thompson Bros 2026, refill barrel, 290 btl.)
Nose: quite lactic, which I find uncommon for Bowmore. Whiffs of buttermilk and butterscotch. After a while it settles down and brings out unripe pineapple and grapefruit, spearmint and salty air. Even a little chlorine. The smoke is quite subtle again. Floral notes too.
Mouth: a salty onset, now showing vivid flashes of passion fruit along with pink grapefruit, lemons and grilled pineapple. Then more milky touches (plus vanilla), white pepper and some industrial notes of metal tools. Then a faint rubbery / vegetal edge which brings it closer to Ledaig at some point.
Finish: long, damp and slightly musty. Smoked citrus and a late hint of chocolate.
I’m not very fond of these lactic notes, and the vegetal elements on the palate also bring down the overall enjoyment. On the other hand it’s nice to see the tropical fruits coming to the foreground in this one. Both bottles appear to be sold out, keep an eye on their online shop for their current offerings. Score: 87/100