Somehow I’d never tried anything from Bowmore after all these years of drinking whisky. It’s actually the only Islay whisky I’d never tasted. (Gartbreck and Ardnahoe notwithstanding of course.) I smell honeycrisp apples, smoked ham, some sort of pastry aroma, and spices like allspice and turmeric. The palate brings notes of toffee, peat moss, pinewood smoke, and pork belly. And I kid you not, that pastry note from the nose hits me as a freakin’ wildberry pop-tart. It’s subtle but I’m glad it’s there. (Okay boomer, it’s this amazing pop-tart that has purple frosting with teal blue stripes. A millennial mainstay.) The mouthfeel is smooth and juicy at the front and feels more tannic and astringent rear palate. Swallowing, this malt loses its sweet and fruit-based notes, emphasizing a salty and smoky finish of short to medium length. It tends to stay at the hard palate and gently lighten one’s senses. A reliable, everyday Islay.