Bowmore Small Batch

9/3/17 Again, very good. Love it. Right amount of smoke and peat. Go-to for sure. 1/29 Not as good as remember. High alcohol feel.

This is like the little brother of the Ardbeg 10, that is, what I imagine Ardbeg might taste like if it were released young. The nose is coal-smoked golden delicious apples. The palate follows with crisp and grilled apples, grilled with herbs spices: oregano, salt, pepper, and vietnamese cinnamon, and a burnt pecanwood closing tone. The finish is a lingering charred wood and burnt sugar under a blanket of warm pepper sauce. After a bit of air time, the oiliness of the texture increases, the edges of the spice and charred wood are smoothed out and better coalesced with the herb, spice, malt, and smoke.

Wow, peaty but perfectly balanced!!! Fantastic!! We both love it (with Judith at O’Neill’s 1/24/18). This is on the boarder of how peaty I like a whiskey to be, but it’s matched by the backend which is sweet and smooth. (The 12 year bowmore is still my preference, Judith prefers the cask). O’Neill’s calls this Bowmore Cask on their menu.

Nice and smokey