Islay is a holy grail for me and my girlfriend. She likes whisky (I know...lucky me !!!). So going for themed Bowmore tasting we knew more or less what to expect. Tempest (10 yo), 12, 15, 18 and 25 yo whiskys were lined up. The host usually is Darren, who manages the shop, but yesterday we had a pal from the distillery. Nice pal with a lot of stories. If you are going to visit distilleries, get prepared for this :) Pint or two before does the job. And prepares your pallet (nb - this is author's opinion. You do not have to agree :).
We started with 10 yo which was a good aperitif. Give some time to warm it up and let breath a bit. IT was quite smoky and i'd say peppery. . But strong ! Hey, its 56 % in alcohol. A bit of water does the job and makes it more enjoyable. The bourbon cask maturation allows hints of citrus and some honey to come through. Good whisky for a start.
12 yo Bowmore. I thought 2 years isn't a lot. But it does the difference.
We started with 10 yo which was a good aperitif. Give some time to warm it up and let breath a bit. IT was quite smoky and i'd say peppery. . But strong ! Hey, its 56 % in alcohol. A bit of water does the job and makes it more enjoyable. The bourbon cask maturation allows hints of citrus and some honey to come through. Good whisky for a start.
12 yo Bowmore. I thought 2 years isn't a lot. But it does the difference.
