Always a risky pick from any bottler, Bowmore can easily disappoint with their overly floral laundry softener scent every now and then, also known as FWP (French Whore Perfume). This sample is one I am tasting with a bit of skepticism, since previous ones have been okay, but not incredibly good.

Nose:
There isn’t much smoke, but the bit that is there is very pungeant. Also some heather, moss and flowers and not too big on the laundry softener. Not spectacularly good though. Kind of predictable.

Taste:
The flavour is rather smooth and gentle with a light creaminess with some lavender and vanilla. The floral notes keep growing. Grassy meadows with a small bonfire going upwind.

Finish:
The finish tones down to a gentle one very soon. Again, the slight peatiness is present. Rather short with some floral notes and something greasy. Maybe some laundry softener after all?

A rather predictable Bowmore and right up the alley of SMWS Bowmores that I’ve tried. They’re all on the brink of being too FWPy, just like this one. A nice dram, but nothing more than that.

Bowmore 1990, 18 years old, SMWS, ‘Atlantic waves crashing in the mouth’, 56.2%, Refill Hogshead, around € 70 when it came out.

A short extra note: The prices I state usually come from whiskybase. I think those are the prices asked in Scotland, since the SMWS bottles are A LOT cheaper there. Here, something 18 year old and Islay would probably set you back at least € 90 and more likely € 100.