Hug A Hoodie: Quick Fire Ramblings: Highland Park Dark Origins & Bowmore Tempest Batch 5

Well, it's bloody hot today. At this time of the year in the UK, it's clearly impossible to predict any kind of temperature in advance. A day ago, I was sheltering from the howling gale and rain under a tree (wearing a hooded top) beside a tennis court, thinking why did I decide to peruse such a stupid outdoor pastime.  In an hour, I shall be slipping into the comfort (!) of a woollen dinner suit and bow tie for an evening event. Why?? Damn You Mother Nature!

Anyway, with such complete contradictions afoot, it's probably a good time to review some arguably un-summery whiskies that we have sitting in our office, probably waiting for a cold snap to take hold.

Recently Highland Park launched a brand new expression called Dark Origins, supposedly to celebrate the unorthodox working methods of the distillery's founder, Magnus Eunson, who operated his shady business as an illicit distiller largely in the shadows, away from the prying eye of the exciseman.

Dark Origins comes complete with a hooded chap on the label (who, if we're honest, looks a little more 'urban' than the likes of a Hebridean distiller) and the whisky itself is comprised of twice as many first fill sherry casks than the classic formulation of the 12 year old, aiming for a richer, darker and altogether more muscular whisky.  Have they succeeded?

Highland Park - Dark Origins -  46.8% - NAS - RRP £65

Nose: Certainly an abundance of full bodied sherry notes on the first sniff: caramel, chopped nuts, a little mustiness, molasses, all balanced with a waft of smoke.  It is reminiscent of the 12 year old, but has more depth. So far so good.

Palate: Very tarry, sooty and oily. The peat gives this a charred, slightly bitter approach, taking it away from the classic floral, honeyed sweetness of the 12 year old. There is lingering wood, a slight creosote and a bold menthol undertone, but one can't help but be overpowered by sootiness. The most smoky HP to date?  Very probably, but it will certainly take some getting use to. Given time, a sweeter note develops, helping to balance out the proceedings. 

Finish: Lingering wood, a little pepper and charred meat notes round out a very dry finish.

Overall: A hard to understand beast, this one.  The nose reveals a lot of real complexity, alongside all the clearly intended darkness, but the palate is full-on beat-you-about-the-head-and-neck-with-a-fence-post stuff.  Put it this way, it's like walking through Croydon late on a Saturday night.  In the shadows lurk danger: Terrifying, but just a little bit exciting at the same time. They should start producing hoodies at the distillery shop... 

Next up and the latest instalment in Bowmore's well received Tempest series. Now five batches in, the series sees no sign of slowing down, nor changing direction, short of the subtle differences between the batches.  It is bottled at 55.9%  and rocks up around £50 as a price point. Not too shabby considering what else lies at this price point. In terms of maturation style, this should be a sharp contrast to the Highland Park above, as it is drawn from first fill bourbon casks, giving a lighter, brighter note. Less hoodie, more boating blazer?  We reviewed the last batch here - and if this turns out any where near as good, Bowmore will have done it again. 

Bowmore - Tempest -  Small Batch - Edition 5 - 10 Years Old - 55.9% RRP £50

Nose: A subtle floral/fruity peat emerges first, alongside fresh sponge cake, golden syrup a touch of almond oil and marzipan. Dig deeper and you'll find ripe banana, a touch of plasticine and a surprising mossy/leaf note.  

Palate: The peat is kept in check by a zesty lemon note, some soft brown sugar, fudge topped muffins and very creamy coffee.  In fact, this could be the most confectionery- influenced batch yet. Another sip reveals more marzipan and a touch of menthol tobacco, the floral peat returning right at the end.  

Finish: Slightly dry, but with bags of underlying, lingering floral smoke.

Overall: Another tick in the 'excellent' box from this batch. Again, it offers balance, character and accessibility, but is robust enough for those who are looking for a peaty whisky to ooze additional character.  

2014 - A Year of Excitement

And we're back. After a very leisurely Christmas break, it's nice to pick up the reins again and excitedly look towards 2014 as a year of exceptionally fine spirits. You'll be seeing a few changes to this website during 2014, alongside the release of our forthcoming book, The Spirits Explorers, which is due to be published later this year. After six years of bringing you news, releases and opinions on primarily whisk(e)y, we'll be bringing you a lot more on other unmissable spirits from around the world. Stay tuned with your glasses primed! 

Back in 2013, half of the Caskstrength team saw in the new year with a particularly fun theme: 

A Fawlty Towers party. 

A Damn Good Thrashing awaits...

Alongside turning Ridley Towers into Fawlty Towers, several games featured for the assembled guests (aka Polly, Sybil, the Major, Manuel, Miss Tibbs and Miss Gatsby and other cast members): 

The Gin & Orange, Lemon Squash and Scotch & Water Challenge (where contestants have to make the aforementioned drinks in as quick a time as possible against an opponent - a ref. to the episode 'A Touch Of Class')

Thrashing an Austin 1100 Piñata, which was swiftly despatched with a tree branch to reveal its contents. 

Stupidity aside, New Years Eve was a great opportunity to do a round up of a number of new (old) whiskies which have recently arrived in the post and in our trolleys: Cutty Sark's brand new Prohibition-inspired release, a brace of exceptional 'old' White Horse blends, an Auchentoshan 1975 vintage and perhaps the most prestigious, a 50 year old Bowmore.  

We won't be officially reviewing the White Horse blends, but suffice to say that if you see any cropping up at auction (especially from the 70's and 80's) you will face some stiff competition from us.  Any respective whisky cabinet should contain an old blend in our opinion. Not only do they provide an insight into whisky making of the yesteryear for a less than premium price, but also highlight some very unexpected flavours. The penultimate drink of the evening was an Old Fashioned, made using the White Horse bottle to the left of the picture (thought to be from the early 80's) and its sweet, delicate smoke and malty, creamy fudge notes were absolutely stupendous. Perfect for Basil and Manuel to put their differences aside... for a few minutes anyway.   

The first sample of the evening was a new(ish) offering from Cutty Sark. Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition this robust blend harks back to Cutty's coming of age in the US, and continues the blend's innovative approach. Prohibition will now be available outside the US for the first time, so let's hoist the anchor and set sail...

Cutty Sark - Prohibition -  50%  

Nose: Toasted almonds, battenberg cake, some fresh mint and marzipan, plus a hint of smoke. There is a solid balance between smoke, vanilla, hot buttered toast, dark chocolate and hazelnuts. Pure smoked praline in a glass.

Palate: With the 50% abv this gives a delicate, yet prickly mouthfeel. First up is fresh apricot, followed by mango chutney, toasted oats and tinned pineapple.

Finish: Some spices, cinnamon, oak and a nip of sherry.

Overall: A complex dram. I accompanied this sample with a craft American IPA and the rich, bold flavours of the whisky stood up to the yeasty/hoppy notes of the beer. The opposite of the usual delicate Cutty: bold, rich and malty- yet with bags of fruit.

Next up was Auchentoshan's latest release- a 1975 vintage, bottled at 45.6% exclusively for travel retail. This vintage sits alongside the distillery's other previous vintage releases from the 70's and the 500 bottles are drawn from ex-American oak casks. We reviewed a previous '75 release back in 2011 and quelle surprise, this offers many of the same delicious characteristics.

Auchentoshan 1975 - 45.6% - 500 Bottles

Nose: Wafts of toasted coconut, milk chocolate, light lemon zest and creamy vanilla. The classic complex-yet-inviting bourbon cask notes make this irresistible. No need for any water here- it would be very easy to drown the subtleties on offer.  

Palate: A continuation of the beautiful aromas above. Sweet and creamy, vanilla custard hits first, with a touch of oaky dryness creeping in, but not in an overpowering way. Alongside the cream comes toasted almonds, a smattering of citrus zests, gooseberry fool and a surprisingly fresh sliced green apple.  

Finish: The green apple is smothered in patisserie cream, which sticks to the palate with an after taste of soft brown sugar. Sensational.

Overall: Yet again, this 70's offering demonstrates Auchentoshan at its very best. It will set you back £500 and a flight somewhere (we're unclear as to which airports you'll be able to find it.) But chances are, it's unlikely you'll still find its similarly aged sibling any longer. Scanning through various online retailers we also find that the closer to 2015 we get (and a 40th birthday looming large) whiskies of this nature are becoming more pricey as the months tick by. 

And Finally... We make it towards midnight, with a sing-song from Gary Barlow on BBC1 and Kevin Costner's 'Waterworld' on ITV (really... Why??) 

Following on from Morrison Bowmore's Lowland distillery comes the latest release from the company's Islay powerhouse. Bowmore continues to innovate, despite being one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. The 50 year old, distilled in 1961 is currently the oldest commercially available single malt from Islay.  Two ex-bourbon hogsheads have yielded just 200 bottles, each one priced at an eye watering £16,000.  

Old Bowmore always offers up a wealth of extraordinary discoveries. Take their last benchmark- the 1964 Fino cask release from 2012. Intense tropical fruits, divine creaminess and a waft of the most subtle sweet perfumed smoke. Bowmore of this age ceases to be just a whisky, but is something far more beguiling- as we shall see below.  

Bowmore 50 Year Old - Distilled December 1961 - 40.7% 

Nose: Where to start. The most intense Bowmore nose yet, jam packed full of tropical fruit notes and so much more. Passion fruit, papaya, mango and ripe kiwi fruit mix with plump vanilla pods, parma violets, a wonderful light, floral lavender-influenced smoke, white chocolate and sweet patisserie cream. Quite where the mysterious 'Bowmore fruit' actually comes from is up for debate, but it makes Bowmore arguably the most distinctive distillery on Islay, and for that matter, probably in Scotland too.  

Palate: More of the same beautifully detailed tropical fruit notes. The classic Bowmore parma violets are powerful, but flavours of tinned peaches and cream, vanilla and mandarin segments sit nicely alongside, with a backbone of dry, floral smoke. Exceptional.

Finish: Lingering tropical fruit and a slight oaky dryness lead the light smoke in what is a deeply expressive and complex tongue twisting finale.  

Overall: It's difficult not to sound like a pretentious tit when writing reviews of whiskies like this. But you just can't sum them up fairly using simple reference points. What we have here is one of the truly great whisky releases of the decade, with effortless balance and charm. If money were no object, this would be a whisky that could simultaneously start and end one's journey into malt whisky. It's the equivalent of discovering the end of the masterpiece tome by a venerated author, the playback of a classic album that defined a generation or the photo finish to a world-record breaking 100 metre final (or perhaps a much longer race for that matter!) 

All in all, a stunning way to see in 2014. Quite where the distillery goes from this expression remains to be seen, but here's hoping that Warehouse No.1 contains even more blinding discoveries. 

Now - a few Caskstrength predictions and observations for 2014: 

• Grain Whisky to finally get the recognition it deserves from major distillers -  in its own right. 

William Grant & Sons had the foresight in 2013 to release a single grain whisky as a proprietary brand and it is inevitable that others will follow suite.  Let's never forget just how important grain whisky is in blended whisky and it is great news to see the whisky begin to gain momentum under its own steam. Legendary William Grant & Sons pioneer and former chairman Charles Gordon sadly passed away over the Christmas period, but he leaves his company in vibrant shape, full of innovative ideas and enthusiasm for developing the whisky category.  

• More companies to receive a public hiding for dubious marketing campaigns.  

The Dewar's Saga or 'Barongate' (read about it here if you're unfamiliar) demonstrated an acute and frankly baffling misunderstanding of who the company assumes whisky drinkers are, whilst providing the whisky community with a relatively easy target to bark at. Importantly it also gave everyone a reason to move forward, away from the ass-slapping masculinity of tired whisky campaign ideas several decades old, that still seem to rear their ugly head from time to time. The reputation of the brand took a big dent (rightly so) but we suspect this won't be the last time that a brand gets a marketing campaign catastrophically wrong. We watch and wait with eager excitement... Sharpen your pitch forks. 

• World Cup Fever hits the whisky world.  

The biggest sporting event of the year is bound to have a knock on effect everywhere and given the growing demand in the host nation Brazil for whisky, it is inevitable there'll be a flurry of World Cup themed whiskies.  We recently read that one well-known Islay distiller has allegedly planned something featuring the colours of the Brazilian flag, but until we hear it from the horse's mouth, we'll say no more. 

• Seasoned whisky drinkers get fed up with whisky and move on.  

Previously known as 'The Whisky Shop'

Slightly OTT this one, but given the constant negativity surrounding new No Age Statement releases, price rises and new emerging markets, spirits like Armagnac, rum and mezcal will begin to sound their Pied Piper tunes, proving irresistible to connoisseurs whisky obsessives, thanks to their accessible price points and bold flavours. Whilst you'll still find us at the front of the queue when it comes to reviewing new whiskies, we're also going to be writing a great deal about the aforementioned spirits, simply because we love them and the possibilities they offer.

...And a few shorter predictions...

• The most staggeringly brilliant release from a distillery/distilleries beginning with E. 

(probably... ;-p )

• Your Grandma asking you which whisky she should put her money into. 

(highly likely and slightly scary)

• Another swathe of new whisky auction sites open for business.  

(including 'Japanese only' perhaps?)

• A massive celebrity endorsed whisky...

(who knows who, but probably on the cards somewhere...) 

• The word 'Dram' to be made illegal, especially during over enthusiastic whisky-related conversations and even more likely when used as an annoying prefix.

( ;-p )

2013 was a blast for us, hope it was for you too.  Keep reading and exploring great spirits in 2014...

Joel & Neil 

Port Of Call - Bowmore Limited Edition 23 Year Old Port Matured Release

From the far-flung climes of Tasmania, to the equally far-flung Islay (well, to some, anyway) and this week's major new release from one of the more refined smoky beasts on the Island - Bowmore.  To some, Bowmore lacks the sheer visceral, filthy bite of some of the other Islay distilleries, but to us, the recent new expressions, such as Tempest, have harnessed the ability to stay perfectly balanced on the tightrope which swings precariously above the peaty inferno below, that so many whiskies seem to succumb to.  Nothing wrong with falling off -  but to some palates, peated whisky is simply an unapproachable flavour. 

Bowmore's lighter, more floral style is slowly but surely capturing the attention of many (nearly) peat ready palates, as well as slaking the thirst of those who are suffering from P.F.S -  or Peat Fatigue Syndrome -  believe me -  it will hit all whisky drinkers (no matter how much they claim to love the smoky stuff) at some point in their drinking career.  

 Bowmore's latest release adds to the already heady mix of floral peat, characteristic Parma Violet tones and sweetness with the proposition of fortified wine.  This 23 year old from 1989 has been exclusively matured in port casks, which, if used to their fullest effect, can impart more than just a sweetness to the proceedings, pulling in richer, spicier and drier woody notes.  Get it wrong and the dominance of these crimson devils can easily overpower the spirit, rendering it a lost cause.  So will the Douro Valley's finest give this latest Bowmore an additional string to its bow, or fall into the camp of 'unsuccessful, but fun experiment'?  

Bowmore -23 year old Port Matured - 1989 - 12,000 bottles - 50.8% - RRP £380

Nose: Classic Bowmore notes off the bat: sea spray, a touch of iodine and a little Parma Violet, but with a surprisingly lively kick.  Next comes some richer notes of barbecue smoked meat, black pepper and ruby port, like a good marinade, not that you would consider ever using this to marinade anything... Water brings out a fruit gum note: fragrant, citrus and soft orchard fruits (plums and possibly a hint of nectarine) are also present. 

Palate: Sweet into savoury, into drying barbecue charcoal, then blasting off into Parma Violet world. It is distinctly Bowmore and has the elements of what Bowmore does best- surprise, yet comfort at the same time.  The influence of the port is there, giving a sweetness, but the character of the spirit comes from the fragrant top notes and the delicate smokiness, which intermingle with a woody dryness.  It's feisty too and with water, the subtleties start to come thru, with a little menthol developing, some citrus orange zest notes and a more refined smokiness.  

Finish: The smoke takes the driving seat again (a dry charcoal smoke), alongside a tanginess and a gentle return of the Parmas.  

Overall: Unmistakably Bowmore, the lineage is clear here between expressions like Tempest and, to a lesser extent, the heavier Maltman's Selection. This is full of character and a whisky of remarkable presence but the only quibble we have about it is the price. When you consider the Bowmore 25 year old is a good £120 cheaper (available for as little as £220 here) you'd have to be a serial Bowmore'ophile to hunt this one down.  

More Heavy Weather: Bowmore Tempest Batch IV Single Malt Whisky

Save the whiskies Harrison, not yourself!! 

What is it about whisky and weather? Yes, we understand that today's rain is tomorrow's whisky, but it seems that of late there's a few companies paying homage to the tumultuous weather. Both Talisker and Cutty Sark laid claim to the Storm moniker and this month see's the return of Bowmore's feisty Tempest, with batch IV hitting the shelves as we type.  

Tempest has always occupied a special place on the shelf for Caskstrength. Since the inaugural batch was released in 2010, we've been big fans of its bracing, visceral quality. Never compromising (well, Batch III was a little lighter in intensity) peat fans and whisky sessioners the world over have reached for a bottle of Tempest when they want to deliver the goods in front of their mates at a reasonable price.  

Continuing with the small batch outturn (still a phrase that vexes us a little, as there is no indication of what the batch size actually is) the whisky is again released as a 10 year old with a strength of 55.1%.  One thing of immediate note is the absolutely sumptuous new packaging: the blue box is terrific looking and demonstrates that Bowmore is really ratcheting up the contemporary feel for their bottlings, which has perhaps been lacking before.   

But box and bottle design aside, this has been one of those eager awaited whiskies that we're finally pleased to bring you an update on... and the good news is that it totally delivers. Tempest has always made a play on using first fill bourbon barrels in its construction and this time around, the sweetness is really in evidence, alongside that unmistakable smoke...

Bowmore Tempest - Batch IV - 10 Years Old - 55.1% 

Nose: Spirity at first, then swathes of rich toffee hit, alongside some hickory woodsmoke, menthol notes, orange zest, chocolate covered gingers, homemade vanilla ice cream, toasted pecans and butterscotch sauce. Given time (and a little water to calm down its intensity) a familiar vanilla pipe tobacco develops and a faint waft of something perfumed (parma violets perhaps?) 

Palate: A superb mouthfeel helps to prepare you for the onslaught of hot, sooty peat, a sour cherry note, then a wonderfully spicy richness, leading to an ultimate sweetness.  It has a bourbon'y vanilla note ringing clear right the way through, but a pleasant peppery bite on the side. Given a little time to unwind and the more perfumed elements that Bowmore possesses come to the fore: parma violets, freshly cut lemons, a toasted nutty note and more creamy vanilla pipe tobacco. Superb stuff. 

Finish: The sweetness lingers on the palate, with a slight sooty note claiming the bragging rights to your tongue.  

Overall: Bang- totally back on form, the current batch of Tempest is right up there with the first in terms of sheer peaty indulgence, sitting alongside a moreishness that screams late night session with your friends.

Sometimes peaty whiskies can just smash you into submission- even when you're not ready for them. Consider them the equivalent of dating a bodybuilder, all bronzed and rippling from cheek to cheek (even the ladies.) All well and good, but after you get past the fun, ever-so-sightly terrifying aspect, don't expect the conversation to get too deep over breakfast. Bowmore Tempest has its muscles flexing in all the right places, but has enough intelligence to stimulate the parts that strength alone will fail to grapple with...Sterling work folks.

Bowmore Tempest is available here for £47.95 

Advance To Bowmore

After the recent announcement of the sale of Bruichladdich distillery by the independent owners to French company Remi for somewhere in the region of £58 million, it seemed only apt that this was the same week in which my edition of the newly launched board game Monopoly: The Islay Edition arrived in the post. 

Someone call Remy Cointreau chief executive Jean-Marie Labord, as he could have saved a few quid and bought the site for M220 ('M' being the unit of currency used in this game, which is sure to outlast the Euro...) had he rolled the required number on the enclosed dice.

Monopoly is a difficult and challenging game; the temptation is to buy everything you land on, but they real key is to build up your portfolio, expand your property empire and bankrupt the other players: true capitalism played out in the comfort of your own home.

Along the way, you must avoid pitfalls such as the 'Chance' cards, which can be rewarding or damaging. Such realistic aspects as 'Your Whisky Cask Matures. Collect M150.' and 'Caught Speeding On The Low Road. Fined M15' feature in this edition. Sadly, there is no card which reads 'Sold Distillery To The French: Collect M58m'...

If you were to look at the prime property portfolios on this board, you'd be quickly drawn towards the top end of the square, for this is where you will find the three 'Kildalton Distilleries' of Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig as well as Bowmore town and Bridgend, occupying the spaces more commonly know to me as Mayfair and Park Lane.

However, getting there with money in the bank will be difficult; try not buying Bruichladdich, Caol Ila or Kilchoman if you land on them, or even hovering up the four lighthouses which adorn each side of the board... but if you do make it there with cash to spare, you'll be rewarded with a property of your very own. But not just any property: a distillery. On Islay. And at current market prices, I'd get ready to retire. Especially if you can build a hotel there as well... just think of the rent. This calls for a special bottling. Someone get Bruichladdich on the 'phone...

But it seems that this last week has been all about Islay. Not only the news of the sale of 'laddie and the arrival of my Islay Monopoly set, but Bowmore have added another vintage release to their current crop.

Last month we reviewed their newly released 1964 Fino Cask, of which just 72 bottles have been produced, which really was (and bloody well should be at the price) an utterly fantastic whisky. However, if £8,000 is a little bit out of your price range, then the new 1985 offering may tickle your fancy at £300. Only 747 bottles have been produced, being drawn from both sherry and bourbon casks, and it has been bottled at the natural strength of 52.3% abv

Bowmore - 1985 Vintage - 747 bottles only - 52.3% abv

Nose: Quite a lot of sea-salt and smoke, this reminds me more of a Talisker than a Bowmore. But as it beings to settle in the glass, the smoke and salt dissipate to give way to freshly cut pine, orange peel and some hints of mango. This is more robust than other Bowmore's I've had of this age.

Palate: Delicious and oily, the smoke, spices and mango hit the palate hard, exploding with flavour. Backed up with some great rich tea biscuit and big elements of malt. Some brandy butter tones too. With water, minty elements come more into the mix with the pine flavours being pushed into the finish.

Finish: Without water, this Bowmore has a long and slightly 'sandy' finish to it.  With water, the mint and pine linger on the palate.

Overall: A really sold release from Bowmore which does a good job showcasing the peaty, salty elements but doesn't give enough room for the classic tropical fruits to come to life. Recent releases such as the Fino (obvs, for £8k) and the Tempest (yes, please for £40) showcase this unique side of Bowmore very well indeed. Save up for the fino (!), or buy a case of Tempest, would be my advice.

Playing monopoly as a child gave me a very basic understanding of London as a City, but having now lived here, in a central location, for more than 12 years, it feels like home, even if we are 'renting it out' to Coca Cola and Co at the moment to stage the Greatest Advert In The World.

Yesterday saw a low-key celebration of a very small area of this great city: Leather Lane, a road which runs through Hatton Gardens, the 'jewellery district' of London and is home to some fantastic producers of artisanal food and drink who put on an event for the public to experience their wares.

Taking part were top coffee experts Coffee Smiths Collective who run the excellent Department Of Coffee And Social Affairs, doing coffee tastings and the chaps from the Craft Beer Company hosting a small beer tasting. Food was provided by Pieminister, the masters of pies and a whisky element by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, who themselves were showcasing a newly released Bowmore:

SMWS - 3.187 'Camphor Muscle Oil and Russian Caramel' - 14 Years Old - Ex-Sherry Butt refill - Distilled 25th Sept 1997 - 608 bottles only - 57.2% abv

Nose: Well, the name gives away the nose on this! Rich caramel and salt fly from the glass with over-ripe red fruits and some mango, but mango chutney this time. A hint of apple juice at the death.

Palate: Without water this gives of a big rich tone of lapsang souchong tea, salt and dark cocoa. With water, the whole thing settles right down to reveal the syrup notes from tinned pineapple, as well as some oak spice and black tea. It can take quite a lot of water and still give excellent flavours.

Finish: Long and warming, this is packed with flavour; exactly how I like my whisky. Complex but balanced.

Overall: I liked it so much, I bought a bottle. Winner.

As the evenings begin to draw in, it seem only right to be re-stocking the cabinet with some  excellent, warming Islay whiskies. Last week I added both a Laphroaig 18 and Caol Ila 18 to my stash and this week, the SMWS Bowmore above.

There now must be only one thing for it: order in some more Witney blankets, nip down JJ Fox to rejuvenate the humidor and then invite a load of people over for a game of Islay monopoly.


Everyone needs to bring a bottle from Islay so we can charge rents as drams... there might even be a sneaky adjustment to the Chance Cards  ('You Have One Won First Place In The Feis Ile Nosing Competition. Reward: A Dram Of Your Choice From Around The Table') to keep everyone busy... 

Bowmore 1964 Fino Cask Preview Tasting

Hot on the heels of The Balvenie's fabulous Tun 1401 Batch 5 (which we reviewed yesterday), comes another brand new whisky release, albeit in a slightly more audacious bottle.

Bowmore has steadily become one of the most collectible whiskies in recent years - the Bowmore Trilogy collection now fetching a tidy sum at auction, alongside many of their other limited release and elderly bottlings.

All this seems a shame.  Old Bowmore seems destined never to be opened, poured between friends and enjoyed, which somewhat misses the point.  Without doubt, several of the best whiskies Caskstrength have ever experienced have been Bowmore bottlings from the 60's or 70's and there is something truly remarkable about this era of whisky making at the distillery.  The legendary Bowmore 'tropical fruit' has been hotly debated by malt enthusiasts for years, making it one of the most unique flavour profiles for any distillery, let alone one sitting amongst the smoky giants of Islay.

On Wednesday this week,  'a brand new' old Bowmore was unveiled for release later this month -  a 1964 Fino cask release, bottled at 46 years old.  The distillery have previously bottled a cask of this style (a 38 year old) but in keeping with the 40 year old release in 2010, this new release, with an outturn of only 72 bottles, has been bottled into an exquisite hand blown vessel, crafted by Brodie Nairn and Nichola Burns, two of Scotland's most renowned glassblowers. The sterling silver stopper was produced on commission by Hamilton & Inches (Jewellers to the Queen no less) and the whole package looks suitably impressive.

But as we like to remind ourselves on an almost daily basis, clearly the liquid within must be the star of the show and at the tasting, the whisky was poured from a simple sample bottle by Bowmore's knowledgable brand ambassador Gordon Dundas, leaving the rest to the imagination.

The benchmark for top end Bowmore releases has been set extremely high by the likes of Black, White and Gold Bowmore and this Fino cask bottling comes from a parcel of stock laid down at the same time -  and at £8,000 a bottle, this is certainly not a whisky which can afford to be a bit 'meh'.  At 42.9% it is also getting dangerously close to being lost forever.  The mind boggles at the thought of something this old being vatted into oblivion.

Bowmore - 1964 - Fino Cask Bottling -  42.9% - 72 bottles - £8,000

Nose: Well, there it is. An explosion of tropical fruit. Papaya, passion fruit, banana, coconut, fresh peach and kiwi. Place this next to a bowl of freshly prepared fruit salad and with a blindfold, I doubt you'd be able to pick the two apart from one another. It is perhaps more fruity than the aforementioned Bowmore Trilogy releases, but has an additional, unusual aromatic dryness, fresh, crisp notes of clean linen, lemon zest and light oak.  Given a little time, a faint waft of smoke also emerges, making this about as perfect a nose as you could probably get from a Bowmore.  Amazing stuff. 

Palate:  Initially dry and salty, but then snapping back into the fanfare of fruit. Passion fruit, cream soda and parma violets (without the soapiness) mix with zesty Amalfi lemon tart and fragrant wafts of smoke.  Blackcurrant notes also emerge after a few minutes, alongside a creamy vanilla custard. Jam-packed with flavour.

Finish:  The light smoke begins to fade, leaving peaches and cream, some sweet blackcurrant and a slight return of the passion fruit.  I was experiencing echoes of this for about an hour after we had finished at the tasting, which gives you an indication of where this whisky is coming from.

Overall:  Yes, this costs £8,000 a bottle, which is an extraordinary amount of money, (you can buy the 38 year old release here for a lot cheaper - well a mere snip at £4,999) but it is no doubt a landmark whisky in the history of Bowmore releases.  Elegant, delicate and superbly balanced, this is up there with the likes of Black, Gold and White and dare I say it, probably eclipses them all for the sheer fruitiness it displays.  

Islay Odyssey - Day Three: "Was There 2-4-1 On Wacky Glasses At The Shop?"

After the excess delivered to us in the form of the Ultimate Islay tour yesterday, Wednesday proved to be a much gentler affair. Helped by the fact clouds had come rolling in from the Atlantic to return Islay from a sun-drenched paradise back to a state we were much more familiar with, thankfully it was a slow and relaxed start to the day.

Having penned yesterday’s exploits, we jumped in the Caskstrength wagon to head for Bowmore, who host their open day each Wednesday during Feis Ile for our second booked-in event of the festival and one that did not involve just whisky...

Arriving in the Island’s capital to the sound of bagpipes wafting through the air, we were soon to be sitting down awaiting the start of our first tasting of the day (if you ignore the cheeky dram of Port Ellen 11th release before leaving the house), Bowmore Ale and Whisky Matching.

Hosted brilliantly by Jeremy Stephens and Mark O’Hara who both work in the blending labs of Morrison Bowmore, putting together such whiskies as Auchentoshan, Glen Garioch and Bowmore itself, Jeremy Stephens is an ex-brewery worker, having cut his teeth for several years at Fullers in London before moving in to malt production, whisky production and finally into the blending lab. All this experience gives him the ideal skill-set to be able to lecture with poise and authority on both brewing, in a purer, real ale sense and the onward stage of distillation and maturation that gives us the product we so love today: whisky.

Starting with an overview of the processes behind making beer (pretty much the same except that anything that ends up as ‘beer’ tends to have hops added, anything that goes on to be whisky doesn’t) on to distillation and finally maturation.

Once the technical stuff was out the way (peppered with questions from the Caskstrength crew about bottle conditioned ales, brewing malts and keeping / storing real ale) it was in the juice itself.

The idea was simple; matching an ale with a whisky and looking at the flavour comparisons between the two. We’ve done various different ‘matching’ tastings before, but this was something entirely new to us. The big question is, would it work?

We kicked off with a beer that has been specially produced for Bowmore by the chaps down at Islay Ales. Much as with the rolls from yesterday’s picnic made using Lagavulin grist, Islay ales have used the grist from Bowmore to brew their beer and then matured it in an ex-bourbon barrel previously used to house Bowmore whisky. A very smoky affair, as you would expect, this ale weighed in a 7.7% abv and was, aside the peaty element and high alcohol content, a light ale.

 

Bowmore & Islay Ales – Bourbon Cask Ale – Feis Ile 2012 – 7.7% abv

Nose: Hoppy and malty with vanilla tones and a hint of smoke

Palate: Huge hit of malt and smoke with stewed prunes and chocolate over tones.

Finish: Smoke and Malt

Overall: Tasty, but you couldn’t drink a whole lot of it.

This ale was cleverly paired with a bourbon matured whisky, the Bowmore Tempest Batch 2. We’ve reviewed this before (in fact, the Tempest Batch 1 made our BiG award shortlist in 2010) and it has to be said it really is a fantastic whisky (notes of which can be found here) and this tasting highlighted that fact to us once again. As a pairing with the ale, it was excellent and worked very, very well.

Onwards to the next whisky and beer couple; the Maltman’s Selection and the Nerabus offering from Islay ales. The Maltman’s Selection is a whisky that has picked up a few awards recently, not least the Best Islay Single Malt Whisky in the World Whisky Awards 2012.

 

Bowmore - Maltman’s Selection - 54.6% - NAS

Nose: big rich notes of coffee, chocolate, cherries, burnt oranges and sherbet.

Palate: Huge. Sherry mixes with more cherries, chocolate ice cream, menthol,
Black Forest gateaux and orange, with perhaps a touch of sulphur on the back, but
only a whisker.

Finish: lingering notes of steeped cherries, chocolate and chocolate malt.

Overall: A big feisty sherry monster, but with more character than you would expect, other than the robust wine notes.  Cracking.


The ale which was chosen to accompany this was the Nerabus, a beer made using pale, dark crystal, caramalt, chocolate and wheat malts giving the ale a rich, dark colour and intense taste, much like a heavily sherried whisky, hence the pairing.

 

Nerabus - Islay Ales - 4.8% abv

Nose: very little with some wafts of burnt sugar.

Plate: Dark chocolate, truffles, pine nuts, the depth and intesity of flavour found in the richness of sherry or port underpinned with a marmite maltiness.

Finish: Meaty bovril tones.

Overall: Very drinkable for a ‘winter warmer’ ale.

Throughout the presentation we were supplied with different samples of hops and malts, all of which were used very well to highlight the major areas of production in the beers and the whiskies.

 

As you can see from this picture, there was a real similarity in colour between the ales and their whisky counterparts and the tasting overall was not only educational but fun and the pairings worked a treat. 

 

Afterwards, we made an unusual purchase at the local Spa shop (all will be ‘revealed’ later), where we bumped in to two of the gang from Master Of Malt who were both on the island for the first time, and headed back to Port Ellen for a catch up with the guys and gals at Ardbeg. 

Another cheeky dram of the Ardbeg Day washed down nicely, alongside a glass of Alligator and two bottles of this now hard to find whisky were purchased (Alligator is perhaps our favourite Ardbeg expression from the past few years) it was time to head home and prepare for the evenings entertainment...

 

With barely 30 mins to spruce ourselves up for a dinner held at Lagavulin’s Malt Mill. Old friends from Maltstock, Feis Ile and, of course, London town were there to share in some fantastic food and excellent drams. 

Along with cask samples and rare bottles, one whisky which has been appearing in Lagavulin tasting across the week and is something very special indeed to be released later this year, we were lucky enough to try:

Lagavulin - 21 Years Old - Preview Sample - 52%

Nose: Elegant, with some candied red apple, vanilla, some light summer fruits, then a waft of fragrant candle wax, marzipan and the classic Lagavulin carbolic soap note.  Balanced and very aromatic.

Palate: Sweet, with over-ripe apples, some drying oak notes, a touch of sweet vanilla sugar and some lemon zest, before the smoke kicks in - nothing too dominant, but inkeeping with the classic 16 year old.  

Finish: Lingering notes of red apple skin, dark chocolate, slightly bitter burnt caramel and medicinal peat.

Overall: Certainly THE bottle to look out for when it arrives later on this year, given the near mythical status of the previous 21 year old.  Keep ‘em peeled folks!

Tomorrow we head off to Jura and Kilchoman, so keep your eyes peeled for our post tomorrow!