Bowmore 15 Year Old Feis Ile 2018

Ah… Feis Ile, the Music & Malt Festival on Islay… a dream for collectors, for every distillery obviously has a special bottling for this occasion. In 2018 Bowmore launched this 15 years old malt on first fill oloroso, which explains the dark color. I poured it at my own Feis Ile tasting in Ghent on the 24th May 2019, which was actually the day things were kicked off on Islay for Feis Ile 2019.

As expected, the nose offers all kinds of dark fruit with a truckload of vanilla, demerara sugar and raisins. A few lost plums. It’s a touch bubblegum-y. There is also a nice herbal touch. The peat remains, as often in Bowmore, in the background. Soft and to be honest, somewhat docile.

On the palate as well, it’s all a bit too easy. A typical card players’ whisky. I’m happy to report a little more fruit than on the nose. Some citrus and raisins, plums and candied apricots. Sweet barley sugars. Maple syrup. Again not a lot of smoke, bar some woodsmoke. Dangerously quaffable.

Only in the finish do I get a little bit of black pepper and does it turn a tad dry because of the tannins in the cask. Having said that, the finish is the best part. Delicious.

Fine Bowmore that was available at a very democratic price and offered in enough bottles to please everyone.

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