Last year’s Laphroaig 2001 Feis Ile Bottling was absolutely outstanding, so I have high expectations for this one.

Facts

Nose

Surprisingly mineral and salty (sea salt), with a good portion of peat and sweetish vanilla flavored smoke. Peaches, alongside other orchard fruits. Hints of cacao powder and smoked ham. Maybe some wild berries.

Taste

Lots of sweet barley at first, followed by chili chocolate and frosted orange peel. Gets more chocolaty, reminds me quite a bit of a thick chocolate drink now. Ends on notes of green apples.

Finish

Long. The peat smoke comes back. Malty and slightly spicy with fruity sweetness. A little bit chocolaty, too.

Overall

Maybe a bit too spicy and raw on the palate, but besides that, this is another well selected Feis Ile bottling from Douglas Laing. It’s definitely worth the price (about 150€) if you don’t mind to pay a Feis Ile premium. That said, I liked last year’s Laphroaig a lot more, but maybe that’s because I prefer Laphroaig over Bowmore in general. Anyways, if you are lucky to find a bottle, go ahead and buy one. You will not reget it!

Score: very good and highly recommended (89 / 100)

Single Cask Seasons is a bottling series from independent bottler Signatory Vintage for German whisky importer Kirsch Import. The goal of this series is to find a whisky that matches the season of the year.

As for the pricing… around 100€  for a 14 years old expression? A bit ambitious if you ask me, especially because the excellent Clynelish 1996 (Spring 2015) did cost only 90€. Where is it all going to end?

Facts

Nose

Smoky but not that peaty. Notes of medicine and iodine. Pretty dry with dried logs, dried cloves and dried oranges. Some fruits, most notable smoked banana chips. Very slight traces of sherry and vinegar in the background. A bit of lavender perfume, too. Gets sweeter with some time in the glass.

Taste

Vibrant and warm but way, way less sweet than expected. Smoked cough syrup, and then sherry, sherry and even more sherry. Sugared citrus peels and sweet oranges. Gets drier towards the end with dried oak and old leather.

Finish

Medium with a fruity sweetness. Ember and charcoal.

Overall

Very yummy although the taste is completely different than the nose would suggest.

Score: good but not exceptional (86 / 100)

Sample provided by spiritscorner.eu

So, for today, I planned something rather special for you: two expressions from Bowmore, both bottled by the independent bottler Wemyss Malts, but very different one to another: Bowmore 1998 ‘Cacao Geyser’ and Bowmore 1995 ‘The Rockpool’.

The already reviewed ‘Cacao Geyser’ was a true cassis beauty and scored as a consequence 89 points. Thus, I am even more excited now for ‘The Rockpool’, since this one is not only three years older but also bottled at cask strength.

Facts

Bowmore 1995 ‘The Rockpool’ (Wemyss Malts)

Nose

Light and lovely but lives up to its name: mineral and maritime with seaweed. Light smoke, which fits in perfectly. Then it gets a bit more floral with heather and even some lavender oil. A very, very light fruitiness in the background.

Taste

Heather honeyed peat smoke, very light in its appearance, and some ash. Balanced by sweet citrus fruits. The alcohol burns a bit but not in a bad way. A few rose peppercorns. Followed by salted seaweed with a slightly minerally touch. Also some fruits in between, could be oranges.

Finish

Long and sweet. Seaweed and red fruits.

Conclusion

Very high quality stuff! I love the huge amount of complexity, yet everything blends perfectly in. Again pleasantly different and extremely enjoyable.

Score: 91 / 100

So, for today, I planned something rather special for you: two expressions from Bowmore, both bottled by the independent bottler Wemyss Malts, but very different one to another: Bowmore 1998 ‘Cacao Geyser’ and Bowmore 1995 ‘The Rockpool’.

I might be a bit late to the party with these reviews, as both bottlings are already sold out everywhere, but better late than never I guess.

Facts

Bowmore 1998 ‘Cacao Geyser’ (Wemyss Malts)

Nose

At first big, very aromatic tobacco leaves. Light smoke. And undoubtedly, freshly picked dark cacao beans, dusted with earth. As time passes by, the aroma gets lighter and a bit more fruitier with a whiff of dark berries. The tobacco from the beginning turns into cold cigar ash. Very slight traces of Sherry in the background.

Taste

Starts with light smoke and moves on with a big fruitiness that wasn’t to be expected from the nose. Blackberries, blackcurrants, elderberries. And of course a noticeable amount of very dark chocolate but the dark berries are really dominating here. Some light cigar smoke. Also a bit peppery now. Then the fruitiness returns, this time as crème de cassis.

Finish

Long. Dry smoke and Sherry. Then the black berries make a last foray.

Conclusion

Not the huge chocolate fountain as the name suggests, but therefore a tremendous fruitiness with piles of blackberries and delicate light smoke which makes it… I don’t know… ‘Smoked Cassis Geyser’ maybe? Anyways, this Bowmore is just absolutely lovely and pleasantly different.

Score: 89 / 100