Bowmore tasting evening at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, June 26th 2019: Whisky #4 Nose: Ginger syrup with a touch of sherry, a thin spread of orange marmalade over caramel sauce and warm but restrained floral tones (jasmine? violet?). The otherwise sweet nose is enlivened and balanced by a supple and well-defined peat-reek that is broad, mellow and expresses complexity, and by a delicate seaweed note and an olive-brine aroma. Palate: A sweet citrus, sherry and spicy arrival. The development brings forceful but fragrant smoke not unlike aromatic pipe-tobacco but the sherry notes are never far away. There's a sweetly floral, stewed fruit quality and some leathery richness that brings complexity to the palate. It's very complete and the signature Bowmore saltiness is also present. The texture is excellently rounded and lightly oily with dark chocolate and walnuts towards the finale. Finish: Medium/long. The flavours majestically saunter off into peaty, dark chocolate sweetness with a touch of orange zest. I've tasted the 18 year old previously and not taken proper notes, but I think this current expression is a notch above previous batches. This whisky is where Bowmore suddenly seems to come of age, and it confirms my long-held conclusion that old Bowmore is good Bowmore, and young Bowmore should be avoided. It's a conspicuously more complete and satisfying whisky than anything younger in their range, with the notable exception of some of the bourbon-matured cask-strength expressions, like Tempest. A lot of what is good here is down to excellent sherry-matured components and overall it's a delightfully elegant whisky with layers of complexity to explore. Water brings out a little more spice and expands the smoke on the finish, but otherwise does not change much about the profile. I'd recommend taking it neat. One word of caution - this is a slow whisky and it needs a lot of rest in the glass before it starts to reveal its charms. I’m giving it 4 stars, but it just barely makes it across the line and at the price it is not a recommended buy. “Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)