Bowmore 17 Year White Sands

Very sweet, not bad but not a whisky for me

Smokey, a little bit of a bite, a little fruity

With such an important aging, it's a pity they did not have the courage to maintain the natural color. The peat festively greets the nostrils as soon as the nose is approached, almost immediately dominated by a pleasant fruity, tropical, very warm and soft note, accompanied by the sweetness (almost cloying) of toffee. The peat really disappears in a flash, you have to go and look for it under this blanket of molasses, but there is. Strangely, no marine or salty profile, at least for me. Instead, we find it on the palate, where tropical fruit (more balanced than the sense of smell) lies on a not very accentuated salty note, with the smoke always light, almost ethereal, in the background. The white sands recalled in the name (in reference to those of the coast of Laggan Bay on Islay) would lead you to think of a strong marine profile, especially considering the aging in Vault No.1, but here is the fruity sweetness to be the master. By letting the whisky breathe, the peat becomes (pleasantly) more present, taming the sweetness on the palate. The finish is unexpectedly bitter and dry, with the smoky note that lasts long enough.

Really smooth, oaky, not super peaty