#BTC43 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes and results from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 43rd #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by John @jwbassman_

Review of my whisky year - 2023

Firstly thanks to all of you who have read my blog (c228,000 up from 147,000 last year) and followed me on Twitter (c6,350 up from 5,300 last year).

This blog has been going for 7 years now and this is the 682nd blog post! In that time I've reviewed over 1,810 whiskies! Let's review 2023!

Bowmore @TweetTasting

@bowmore chose a @TweetTastings to share some of their older whiskies!

Here's my thoughts and those of a few friends!

Bowmore @TweetTastings

@Bowmore Distillery shared some of their recent bottlings with us in a @TweetTastings.

Here's my thoughts and those of a few friends!

Core Range: Bowmore

 Continuing the series of posts showing a distillery's core range of bottlings.

This time looking at Bowmore.

Islay - Branded Glencairns

As well as distillery tours, warehouse tastings, meetings friends old and new and buying whisky there's one more thing you need to do on a whisky road trip...

Buy branded @GlencairnGlass glasses!

Islay - Bowmore Distillery

The second distillery tour and tasting on our trip was @Bowmore

Where the lovely Kim led us on a tour and No. 1 Vaults Warehouse Tasting!

Islay - Planning

Each year our little gang gets permission from our wives for a few days away. This year, delayed by two due to Covid, we managed to get to Islay!

Our great logo designed by John @JWBassman_

As with any kind of road trip planning is very important...

Bowmore @TweetTastings

@TweetTastings seem to be coming along at 2 a month at the moment but every now and again there's something just that extra bit special....

@TheWhiskyWire teamed up @Bowmore to reveal their #BowmoreTimeless collection and I was lucky enough to be chosen...

Here's some thoughts from me and some of my friends who took part!

Virtual tasting: Elixir Tasting with BCWS

The Black Country Whisky Society are a small group with big ideas from Greater Birmingham. They've been going for around 18 months and successfully held a number of tastings before Covid-19 put a stop to meeting together. So like most groups they went virtual.

Their tasting are sometimes opened to non-members and I was lucky enough to get a place on one from Elixir Distillers.

Mini-review: French No.63?

Blind sample from @GregsWhiskyG

In the glass : Interesting brown coloured bottle so I had no idea of colour before I opened it. But it is quite a dark coloured dram, swirls cling to the glass and not much in the way of legs.... High ABV?

Nose: This seems quite complex - there's a little dunnage warehouse, some damp hay, maybe even a hint of smoke? After a little time in the glass there's some honey and toffee coming through too.

Palate: Lots of honey, very sweet, a little toffee. Not getting any of the smoke from the nose and not much in the way of spice. I think I'll reverse my thoughts on a high ABV - this seems to be a low 40s% ABV. From the honey notes I'd suggest a Speyside or maybe a Highlander?

Finish: A hint of spice on the finish, and again maybe some smoke? Lovely malty finish - very warming. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest a Benromach ?

#BlindTasting Series 3 - Review

Series 3 of #BlindTasting has recently finished and as usual I'll post a summary. Following on from fantastic Series 1 & 2 - this one was brought up a few surprised with the five of us trying to identify 15 mystery drams through smell and taste, having #NoPreconceivedIdeas or #MarketingBullshit to sway our opinions.

#BlindTasting Series 3 - Part 2 (for Charlotte Victoria)

This is the second part of Series 3 of #BlindTasting, with the extra special bonus of being a celebration of the safe arrival of some Port Charlotte and Glen Scotia Victoriana drams!

A Bowmore Threesome

A couple of weeks ago I was graced by a visit from @MaltmanMike where we planned to do a tasting of two Bowmores. Unfortunately due to some technical glitches (his recording equipment had been on the Bowmore before us) the recording was completely out of focus!

Behind the scenes at a Maltman Mike vlog recording!

No doubt we'll have another go at a later date, but until then here are my thoughts on three Bowmore drams!

I'd bought the 9yo earlier in the year, the 15yo was a sample swap - thanks to @ThisIsMyDram and the Vaults was from the Maltman.

9yo, Vaults, 15yo

Distillery : Bowmore

Whisky : 9yo Sherry Cask Finish

Characteristics : 700ml, 40% ABV.

Colour : Old Oak - coloured

Nose : Light smoke with toffee

Palate : Weak sherry, very thin develops a little vanilla .

Finish : Slight alcohol burn - surprising for a 40%, some smoke

Overall : This one hasn't improved much in the 5 months it's been sat on my shelf - see my previous review here. As I said then it would have been better blended with something more smokier and sold as a NAS.

Distillery : Bowmore

Whisky : 15yo Darkest

Characteristics : 700ml, 43% ABV.

Colour : Old Oak - coloured

Nose : Bonfire smoke (from a distance) with salty sherry developing over time.

Palate : Thin sweet sherry developing to toffee with a little drying smoke.

Finish : Medium dry finish with light smoke

Overall : As others have mentioned this is a strange one where the name describes an artificial colour - come on Bowmore get rid of the caramel or sort out the marketing department.... This one was a much better dram than the 9yo.

Distillery : Bowmore

Whisky : Vaults Edit1°n (NAS)

Characteristics : 700ml, 51.5% ABV.

Colour : Old Gold

Nose : Vanilla, smoke developing into salty bread dough.

Palate : Mouth filling, oily, salted smoked oranges - yummy

Finish : Dry salty finish with the orange coming back
With Water : This dram was over 50% so I also tried it with a drop of water - this brought out a sweet smokiness in the nose and palate and intensified the orange finish.

Overall : Definitely the best of the trio! This was in a different league to the other two even as a NAS. The addition of a little water really brought out the Islay smoke - it's not in the same ballpark as some of the other Islay peat monsters but lovely never the less!

OK so no vlog for this tasting but you can view Mike's other vlogs on the Maltman Mike YouTube Channel.

Bowmore 9 years old Sherry Cask Matured

A beautiful colour, but?

Distillery : Bowmore
Whisky : 9 Years Old, Sherry Cask Matured, Limited Release

Presentation : Cardboard box, some whisky and distillery information, clear bottle with cork stopper
Source : Asda Supermarket
Price : £15

Characteristics : 700ml, 40% ABV, NCF, Coloured 😒
Box/Bottle Information : "Matured in a combination of the finest Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks. Bowmore 9 Years Old reflects the natural elements that surround the No. 1 Vaults and the generations of tradition within. On the eye treacle amber, Breathe in rich cocoa, pepper and raisins balanced with citrus tang and wisps of Islay smoke, Sip complex sherry with peak smoke followed by dark fruits and sweet crème caramel, Savour the perfect balance of sea salt and peat smoke."

Colour : Old Oak (looks great but is artificial).

Glance : Oily, leaves thin trails when swirled around the glass.

Nose : I was expecting a typical Islay peaty whisky with sherry tones but actually got pleasant earthy toffee with smoke.

Palate: Watery, yes very plain with a touch of sherry.

Finish : Slight alcohol burn, short smoke, no real aftertaste.

Overall : I've not tried a Bowmore in an awfully long time - I think it was a 12yo (Clear Label) in around June '07. This bottle had a lot to live up to but ultimately disappointed, yes it was only a 9yo and yes it was only £15, but as a limited release I get the impression they are just trying to dump a few bad casks - it might have been better to release them as a NAS mixed with some better quality casks. Michael Jackson claimed, about Bowmore, that some "tasters have found it difficult to unfold it's complexity", once again he was right.

Link : Not currently on the Bowmore website.