Is it true about Bowmore 25?

[Habanero]

I read in the most recent issue of Cigar Aficianado that Bowmore 25 is winning all of the recent tasting events because the distillery blended the 25 year olds with some of their remaining 30 year old stock. The age on the bottle must be no larger than the youngest whisky in the bottle. The article mentioned that there simply wasn't enough of the 30 year old to justify distribution so they just decided to add it to their 25. I just ordered a bottle of this and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. Supposedly it is unbelievably good as a result of what Bowmore has done. I keep seeing prices listed at around $180.00 - however my store is charging me $220.00 for it. I don't know if word got out and demand is growing but hopefully it will be worth every penny.

[bamber]

I believe this is the case with most age statement whiskies - they generally contain older malts - for example the Dalmore 62yo even contains malts from the 19th century.

I'm sure it will be a treat, whatever the true age of the malts, which make it up.

[Habanero]

Yeah, I am looking forward to it.

[The Fachan]

Bamber,

I assume Mr. Patterson was stroring the older whisky in demi-johns or I fear the angels would have finished it long ago if it was still in wood.


Ian

[bamber]

I believe it spent its entire time in wood !

From the Dalmore website:

" The Dalmore 62 Years Old Single Highland Malt
This rare spirit has been derived from 1868, 1878, 1926 and 1939 Dalmore. Over the years it has been racked several times and finally finished in an Oloroso "Mathusalem" Sherry butt from Gonzalez Byass, Spain. Distilled and matured by The Dalmore Distillery, Alness. In wooden presentation case. Single malt, bottled at natural cask strength of 40.5% volume
1 bottle £10000-12000"

[Habanero]

Dalmore 62 YO - didn't the first bottle of this go for around $45,000 (U.S.)? I am sure my wife would be perfectly fine with this sort of investment.

Drinking whisky from the nineteenth century would truly spark the imagination - if I ever become a billionaire....

[bamber]

Here's a fun story related to the Dalmore 62yo:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sout ... 095758.stm

[Habanero]

Very lucky bar manager!! If your going to spend that kind of cash on Scotch it would be a shame never to experience it yourself.

[bamber]

That's what I thought TNBourbon has had a wee dram of it - says its the finest drink he's ever had and he's a big Bourbon man.

[Habanero]

It would seem to me that just the knowledge that you are essentially drinking through history would make all of the other "ratable" aspects of the Scotch less important. Then, if it turns out to be a beautiful drink.....it would be that elusive "perfect dram".

The oldest, and I think best scotch I have ever tasted was a MacAllan 30 year old. I have a friend who was given a bottle of it by one of his buddies who works for a liqour distributor in Florida. The bottle was given to a few employees of the distributor as a sort of Christmas bonus, but this guy did not like Scotch and he just gave it away to one of my friends (unbelievable). I don't even think that it is commercially available here in the states. Anyway, we were at a gathering one night and the topic of scotch came up. My friend pipes up and says I have a bottle of this MacAllan at home and I think it is 30 years old. My other friends and I balked at his claim and told him it was probably an 18. But when he described a blue bottle we immediately suggested a trip to his house. Sure enough there it was and it was fantastic. The thing that struck me the most about it was the mouthfeel. It just was so silky. Needless to say we did not drink too much of it after we convinced our friend what a prize he had.

[Deactivated Member]

Bamber, what do you suppose this line means:

"Only 12 of the bottles were ever produced in 1943, and one was sold at auction in 2002 for just under £26,000."

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

hi Mr T. If you had asked me I would have said this line means a lot of rubbish.
A journalist who heard some facts but could not get them right in writing his article and was not curious or inquisitve enough to do some more research. That is where such sentences come from.
Jeroen had the story on his peatfreak page and the stories he told had their facts right.
The feature goes on a bit further down like this
"The Dalmore 62 is described as "a masterpiece forged from the Highlands of Scotland".
It was derived from four casks of single malt dating from 1868, 1876, 1926 and 1939.
The 12 bottles have their own hand-printed labels and bear unique names."
What?? I mean What about 1943???

Greetings
kallaskander

[bamber]

Mr T,
Well spotted - trust the BBC to get their facts wrong.

Habanero,
I've always wanted to try the Mac 30yo OB, but it will be a few years yet There's something about that blue bottle that would make it sit very happily in my whisky cupboard.

[Habanero]

Just an update. The Bowmore 25 just came in earlier this afternoon (Florida time - EST). I quickly rushed the beautiful black, wooden box with the nice gold latch home. Its presentation was very nice. The whisky itself was absolutely sublime. I only drank about an ounce of it, but it was smooth as silk. It started off with a little orange peel and quickly the toffee and hazelnut sweetness came through. I am going to TRY to conserve this bottle as long as I can, but it will be calling me often. If you get a chance get yourself a bottle of this stuff. I think it definitely give the Macallan 30 I tried a good run for its money.

[Habanero]

By the way, just out of curiosity when is there going to be a tasting report on this great Scotch on this board?? The Bowmore Surf they have listed is not the same thing as this.

[bamber]

Glad you enjoyed the Bowmore - it is always risky buying an expensive whisky like that 'blind' !

I think they have the Bowmore Surf age wrong. It is NAS and now their bottom of the range following the departure of the legend (8yo ?).

As for notes on the 25yo - there will be some on the forum pages, no doubt.