Bowmore 15 Years Darkest
The Bowmore Darkest is a vat of the darkest casks the Blenders can find in the warehouses of Bowmore. Most of the whisky experts look at the age of the whisky. The darkest is a very good example that a whisky with a normal age and a very prominent cask selection can be premium, too.
The Bowmore Darkest is a vat of the darkest casks the Blenders can find in the warehouses of Bowmore. Most of the whisky experts look at the age of the whisky. The darkest is a very good example that a whisky with a normal age and a very prominent cask selection can be premium, too.
| Details about this bottle | Edit |
|---|---|
| 6814 | |
| Bowmore | |
| Scotland, Islay | |
| Single Malt Whisky | |
| 15 Years | |
| 43% | |
| 0.7 l | |
| Original bottling | |
| Bourbon | |
| Sherry - Oloroso | |
|
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| Average tasting notes Tasting notes |
Calculated from 180
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|---|---|---|
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Nosing
Peat Smoke:
Peat Smoke:
Sherry:
Sweet:
Sweet:
Sherry:
Fruit:
Chocolate:
Chocolate:
Raisin:
Raisin:
Fruit:
Herb:
Herb:
Dark Chocolate:
Dark Chocolate:
Dried Fruit:
Dried Fruit:
Spices:
Plum:
Plum:
Vanilla:
Vanilla:
Maritime Notes:
Oak:
Oak:
Maritime Notes:
Caramel:
Caramel:
Bonfire Smoke:
Seaweed:
Spices:
Bonfire Smoke:
Zitrus:
Seaweed:
Zitrus:
Orange:
Orange:
Berries:
Herbs:
Berries:
Leather:
Malt:
Herbs:
Malt:
Leather:
Grape:
Apple:
Salt:
Date:
Floral:
Honey:
Cinnamon:
Coffee:
Honey:
Date:
Floral:
Cinnamon:
Grape:
Apple:
Salt:
Nuts:
Coffee:
Alcohol:
Blackberry:
Pepper:
Medicinal Smoke:
Nutmeg:
Blackberry:
Medicinal Smoke:
Clove:
Pepper:
Nutmeg:
Clove:
Nuts:
Alcohol:
Banana:
Grapefruit:
Fig:
Banana:
Almonds:
Tropical Fruit:
Tropical Fruit:
Cake:
Cake:
Pineapple:
Anis:
Pineapple:
Cherry:
Pear:
Hay:
Green Apple:
Pear:
Tobacco:
Cherry:
Grapefruit:
Green Apple:
Strawberry:
Iodine:
Fig:
Tobacco:
Iodine:
Almonds:
Hay:
Strawberry:
Tasting
Peat Smoke:
Peat Smoke:
Sherry:
Sweet:
Sweet:
Sherry:
Fruit:
Spices:
Fruit:
Herb:
Herb:
Chocolate:
Chocolate:
Oak:
Oak:
Spices:
Caramel:
Caramel:
Dark Chocolate:
Dark Chocolate:
Nuts:
Raisin:
Raisin:
Oil:
Oil:
Malt:
Malt:
Dried Fruit:
Dried Fruit:
Clove:
Coffee:
Clove:
Coffee:
Maritime Notes:
Pepper:
Blackberry:
Pepper:
Blackberry:
Vanilla:
Berries:
Maritime Notes:
Vanilla:
Berries:
Cinnamon:
Chili:
Alcohol:
Alcohol:
Plum:
Chili:
Plum:
Herbs:
Cinnamon:
Salt:
Herbs:
Honey:
Bonfire Smoke:
Bonfire Smoke:
Salt:
Honey:
Grape:
Tobacco:
Cherry:
Seaweed:
Zitrus:
Hazelnut:
Leather:
Orange:
Tobacco:
Seaweed:
Orange:
Grape:
Leather:
Cherry:
Hazelnut:
Nuts:
Zitrus:
Pear:
Pear:
Heather:
Tropical Fruit:
Cake:
Almonds:
Mint:
Peach:
Tropical Fruit:
Cake:
Mint:
Heather:
Floral:
Ginger:
Ham:
Ginger:
Ham:
Peach:
Almonds:
Floral:
Finish
Peat Smoke:
Peat Smoke:
Sweet:
Sweet:
Sherry:
Sherry:
Oak:
Oak:
Malt:
Malt:
Spices:
Herb:
Herb:
Spices:
Chocolate:
Fruit:
Chocolate:
Fruit:
Dark Chocolate:
Dark Chocolate:
Maritime Notes:
Maritime Notes:
Nuts:
Oil:
Salt:
Salt:
Oil:
Bonfire Smoke:
Bonfire Smoke:
Coffee:
Coffee:
Seaweed:
Alcohol:
Alcohol:
Seaweed:
Cherry:
Dried Fruit:
Herbs:
Chili:
Cherry:
Herbs:
Chili:
Dried Fruit:
Pepper:
Pepper:
Nuts:
Plum:
Medicinal Smoke:
Iodine:
Blackberry:
Floral:
Caramel:
Leather:
Ham:
Barley:
Zitrus:
Heather:
Vanilla:
Cinnamon:
Raisin:
Orange:
Grass:
Honey:
Tobacco:
Leather:
Cinnamon:
Honey:
Vanilla:
Ham:
Caramel:
Grass:
Floral:
Zitrus:
Blackberry:
Iodine:
Medicinal Smoke:
Plum:
Orange:
Raisin:
Heather:
Tobacco:
Barley:
Anis:
|
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Quality rating of this bottle
4.2
Rate
405
180
Quality comparison of bottles
i
All tasting notes
02. May 2011
06. Nov 2016
Nosing: 
Taste: 
Finish: 
Comment: a good nose but underwhelming taste in my opinion. I am not used to smokiness so it misleads by nosing and taste.
Taste:
Finish:
Comment: a good nose but underwhelming taste in my opinion. I am not used to smokiness so it misleads by nosing and taste.
07. Mar 2018
Nosing: 
some fishiness?
Taste:
Finish: long 
Comment: I'm more appreciative of it after having visited many more peatier/smokier drams. I feel I'm better able to taste more subtle flavours. Can see this being a daily dram if feeling for something with a bit of smoke but still lots of sweetness and spice
some fishiness?Taste:
Finish: long
Comment: I'm more appreciative of it after having visited many more peatier/smokier drams. I feel I'm better able to taste more subtle flavours. Can see this being a daily dram if feeling for something with a bit of smoke but still lots of sweetness and spice
15. Feb 2013
29. Aug 2014
25. Feb 2019
Nosing: 
bookshelves
Taste: 
Finish:
Comment:
bookshelves Taste:
Finish:
Comment:
16. Nov 2017
Nosing:
Taste:
Finish:
long
Comment:
88/100
Taste:
Finish:
long
Comment:
88/100
01. May 2020
Nosing:
Taste:
more cranberry...like cranberry wrapped in a tobacco leaf. tart and smoky. notes and smoke wrapped together.
Finish:
Comment: So i have to compare this against something like Talisker DE and Ardbeg Uigadeal. This, while good, is probably the weakest of the 3. Less smoky than the Ardbeg, less sherried than the Talisker. It is still good and I enjoy the balance of the two "bomb" profiles, but it's playing both sides of the fence. If you want a balanced peated/sherried whisky, look no further. Most people who are shopping for these want the robust flavors.
Taste:
more cranberry...like cranberry wrapped in a tobacco leaf. tart and smoky. notes and smoke wrapped together.Finish:
Comment: So i have to compare this against something like Talisker DE and Ardbeg Uigadeal. This, while good, is probably the weakest of the 3. Less smoky than the Ardbeg, less sherried than the Talisker. It is still good and I enjoy the balance of the two "bomb" profiles, but it's playing both sides of the fence. If you want a balanced peated/sherried whisky, look no further. Most people who are shopping for these want the robust flavors.
20. Sep 2015
It has been a long time since I last tasted these "old" releases of Bowmore, but they still deliver.
The "Darkest" showcases why Suntory bought Bowmore - in a blind tasting, a bottling of Yamazaki or Hibiki would live up quite favorably, which is to say that this particular Bowmore is almost Japanese in style.
Big sherry nose of a quality quite rare to find in Scotland these days. Dark, sweet caramel fruit and leathery, slightly acetic cask aromas without the sulfury defects often found nowadays - likely a "wet" cask being filled with the newmake spirit. The smoke is quite subtle on the nose at first, much more resembling charcoal than peat "reek". Interestingly, no "sea" aromas.
On the palate, the smoke asserts itself after an initial blast of caramel sweetness and persists into the medium, rich finish. Alcohol is balanced, a structuring element rather than contributing any harshness.
Excellent quality, even though one gets a sense that the addition of caramel may be limiting.
The "Darkest" showcases why Suntory bought Bowmore - in a blind tasting, a bottling of Yamazaki or Hibiki would live up quite favorably, which is to say that this particular Bowmore is almost Japanese in style.
Big sherry nose of a quality quite rare to find in Scotland these days. Dark, sweet caramel fruit and leathery, slightly acetic cask aromas without the sulfury defects often found nowadays - likely a "wet" cask being filled with the newmake spirit. The smoke is quite subtle on the nose at first, much more resembling charcoal than peat "reek". Interestingly, no "sea" aromas.
On the palate, the smoke asserts itself after an initial blast of caramel sweetness and persists into the medium, rich finish. Alcohol is balanced, a structuring element rather than contributing any harshness.
Excellent quality, even though one gets a sense that the addition of caramel may be limiting.
25. Apr 2020
Nosing: 
... plus
and a hint of anise if left in the glass long enough (>60 minutes, in the case of this tasting)
Taste: 
Finish: 
Comment: A nice mix of fruit and sugar sweetnesses leads the way with Bowmore 15-year old "Darkest," and serve as a fine offset to the mild peat scent once it eventually appears as a mild influence.
Smoke is more recognizable on the palate. The peat influence fades in the finish, but also pairs up with wood smoke as it goes. The taste experience with this whisky is clearly less complex than what the nose delivers.
Not much oak or nuttiness to be found anywhere in this whisky. The lack of a complementary bitter note is perhaps only a minor disappointment, but it is certainly noticeable in its absence.
... plus
and a hint of anise if left in the glass long enough (>60 minutes, in the case of this tasting)Taste:
Finish:
Comment: A nice mix of fruit and sugar sweetnesses leads the way with Bowmore 15-year old "Darkest," and serve as a fine offset to the mild peat scent once it eventually appears as a mild influence.
Smoke is more recognizable on the palate. The peat influence fades in the finish, but also pairs up with wood smoke as it goes. The taste experience with this whisky is clearly less complex than what the nose delivers.
Not much oak or nuttiness to be found anywhere in this whisky. The lack of a complementary bitter note is perhaps only a minor disappointment, but it is certainly noticeable in its absence.
