Bowmore Vintner's Trilogy 26 Year French Oak Barrique

I just finished my second dose of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine and can sense the world slowly starting to return to normal again. To celebrate, I debated on a few samples, but decided on opening up a full bottle to have a few drinks of something special. This is a 26 year Bowmore that was released as part of the Vintner's trilogy and was matured first in ex-bourbon barrels for 13 years before being transferred to French oak wine barriques for another 13 years before being bottled at 48.7% ABV. The first smell is overwhelming with tannic oak and peat mixing together with dark chocolate covered candied bacon. I handed my wife the glass to take a nose and taste and her first thoughts are “Oh, this smells just like the hamster bedding I would get as a kid.” My initial reaction to that was “What the fuck”, followed by receiving the glass and taking a smell to think “Yep, sure enough, there’s fucking peated hamster bedding in my whisky.” I let the glass sit out for 30 minutes to let it open and the hamster bedding of fresh pressed cedar notes calm down and go into the background more, but are still very much a part of this whisky. Pushing past those heavy cedar notes you are rewarded with a nose that starts with a campfire next to the ocean then balsamic vinegar and strawberry puree reduction glazed over angel food cake leading to candied bacon wrapped in dark chocolate, figgy pudding covered in a rich bourbon caramel, roasted chestnuts then old tannic oak and leather with a mild alcohol burn. The taste is a rich viscous mouthfeel starting with rich bourbon caramel, strawberry jam on charred sour dough bread, ocean brine with light peat, chocolate covered candied bacon, roasted chestnuts, ginger, old tannic oak and leather with medium ethanol burn that finishes long with bourbon caramel, balsamic and strawberry syrup, vanilla cupcake, campfire ashes, ocean brine, tannic oak, leather and dark chocolate covered candied bacon that lingers for minutes. For the age, the peat is still very present and not as light as older peated expressions tend to be. The oak is big on this and those tannins almost overpower the whisky, but the wine influence has added nice strawberry and balsamic flavors that complement it nicely. A great whisky to drink, celebrate the slow return back to normal life and hopefully be able to share with a few friends soon.

Nice wood note rich nice dark colour really nice to enjoy

Peaty, sweet, floral, woody and dry

Nose : Peat smoke is present from the start, but is instantly tempered by a wine sweetness. Matured wine is a prime in long run, alongside a touch of spicy vanilla. Taste : Wow! Sweet smoke is present, but the wine finish is the real star. Its sweet malty, woody, grapey, chocolatey composition is phenomenal. Finish : Finish is lenghty, with the wine present and slowly going away. The smoke is really faint up to that point but present for a long moment. An amazing bottle! Perfectly balanced with a distinct taste. An artisan’s work!