Bowmore, Islay's first distillery, is one of the most famous distilleries out there. They have a good number of long aged single malts that go for crazy sums of money and yet I was surprised at how tame the entry level single malt is. The 12 year comes in at 80 proof, well below that of many of the other Islay entry level single malts out there and while its solid, it's not as exciting as the others. On the nose its very mild, almost bland with a faint smell of the sea. The initial sips are a bit watery, with some sweetness, followed by light peat and a smooth mineral taste. In the end it tastes a bit thin. The finish has a touch of heat but it doesn't last all that long. It's not a bad single malt, I just expected much more from such a famous Islay distillery. It also comes in at $60 or so, which seems a bit steep for an 80 proof entry level single malt. I would stick with Laphroaig or Ardbeg or even Talisker (which isn't an Islay distillery but seems to offer a comparable experience) as opposed to this. Again though, it's not bad, I just wanted a bit more from it and maybe that's on me for expecting that.