Bowmore 21 Year Old (Single Cask Nation)

 

Over the last six years or so I have come to REALLY enjoy Single Cask Nation bottlings. I've had the pleasure of actually meeting Josh and Jason, more than once, including an incredible tasting of their favorite SCN bottlings held at Jack Rose here in DC a couple years ago. 

So when they recently dropped a 21 year sherry-finished Bowmore and a 9 year sherry-finished Laphroaig, I spent money I really didn't have and splurged on them. Because I knew in my heart of hearts that they would be amazing. This is the first of the two bottles, the 21 year Bowmore, with the final four in a second fill Spanish oak PX hogshead.

Here's the official Single Cask Nation "flav-o-meter":  

And their official tasting notes: 

NOSE: Beach bonfire smoke to the front with damp grain residing behind, flaked sea salt sprinkled on dark chocolate truffles, chocolate coated orange peels, hints of honey cake and raspberry simple syrup around the edges

PALATE: A delicate landing delivers soft oak, ground grey pepper, and flaked sea salt but delve a little deeper and there’s plump Bing cherries, dark chocolate cake, and blackberry tea as it transitions towards the finish

FINISH: Pleasantly drying with lingering blackberry tea, dark chocolate, and a little more ground grey pepper

There are a lot of interesting notes here that I recognize from other older Bowmores - the raspberry simple syrup, the sea salt chocolate... and I'm curious about the Bing cherries and blackberry tea. 

This is cask #161214, distilled February 2004 and bottled Spring of 2025. 188 total bottles, and the ABV is 56.3%. Let's see if the old independent Bowmore magic is there: 

Nose: Sea salt on caramel, a medium amount of ocean-tinged smoke, a large helping of raspberries, sprigs of rosemary, orange peel, peat, and dark manuka honey. 

With time and a little water: Dark chocolate, more baking herbs, and a distinct note of charcoal. 

Mouthfeel: Oily but a bit thin. Like most Bowmore I've had, though. 

Palate: Immediately and distinctively Bowmore: crushed flowers (violets), blueberries and raspberries drizzled in honey, leathery peat, red currants, a wonderful fresh-sawn woodiness, and a big umami note like mushrooms and soy sauce. 

With time and water: more sherry notes emerge - almonds/marzipan, yeast, and cherries. 

Finish: Berries and cream, new-cut wood, smoke, salt, and herbs all intermingle in a very long finish. After some time, the very final flavor remaining is chocolate, which is just lovely. 

Verdict: It's a funny distillery, Bowmore. Their official bottlings are so, so forgettable and never worth whatever price they are seeking. Their luxury bottles are laughable non-starters.

Yet independent bottlings offer such an intensely pleasurable experience, and a totally unique one, that the two are barely recognizable as the same distillate. 

The bottle that really cemented Single Cask Nation for me was a tremendous 25 year Ardmore that was one of the best I've had from my favorite distillery. This bottle is right up there. It's a fabulous representation of Bowmore, super rich, super delicious, no weird off-profile notes, perfectly balanced. Highly recommended.