Bowmore tasting evening at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, June 26th 2019: Whisky #1 Nose: The first aromas are mild lemon and brine, then light vanilla and cereal notes emerge together with a fragile smoky presence. If you were being generous you could describe it as a delicate nose, but I thought it simply lacked presence. There is an unfortunate aroma of cardboard or plywood in the background. Palate: The palate is a reprise of the nose, having an arrival that is mildly salty and citric with a smidge of peat followed by a development of dry cereal flavours. The same sawdusty / reconstructed wood-pulp character shows up again and then more brine emerges and the dryness veers towards sour tannic notes. Adding water provides some balance by developing sweetness but it also conjures a soapy taste, and the palate is very easy to drown. The texture is rather flat. Finish: Very short. One moment the development is gently fading and the next there is nothing. The profile is classic Bowmore but this expression seems muted and lacking in verve, as though it has been over-diluted. It’s a simple, even generic, malt and while there are not any particularly off notes neither are there any particularly impressive ones. It does have a clean, fresh presentation but to be honest at this price you can do better. “Average” : 78/100 (2.75 stars)