Bowmore 15YO 700ml

Bowmore 15YO is an Islay single malt Scotch aged for 15 years at Bowmore Distillery, which sits right beside Loch Indaal. Ex-bourbon American oak does most of the work, then the whisky moves to oloroso sherry casks for the last three of its 15 years. Strength is 43% ABV.

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Bowmore was founded in 1779 and is the oldest working distillery on Islay. It sits in the island’s main town, right on the water, and still malts part of its barley on its own malting floors before drying it over peat. Bowmore’s smoke is medium strength: easy to pick compared with whiskies from the mainland, yet well short of the big peat of Islay’s southern distilleries.

In the 15 Year Old, that gentle smoke meets the richness of sherry. After its long first maturation in bourbon wood, the whisky is moved into oloroso sherry casks for its final three years. Bowmore credits those casks with the deep, reddish-brown colour and the warming finish, and describes the whisky as rich raisin and gentle smoke leading into a chocolatey centre.

That balance makes it a good bottle for a range of drinkers: sherried malt fans who are curious about peat, or Islay drinkers who want something rounder than a straight peat hit. Within the Bowmore range, it sits between the brighter, more coastal 12 Year Old and the older, rarer releases, offering noticeably more depth for a moderate step up in price.

Serve it neat in a nosing glass, or add a drop or two of water to bring out the dried fruit. It is too rich to need ice. It goes well with dark chocolate, sticky date pudding, smoked meats, blue cheese or a slice of Christmas cake. Opened and stored upright out of the sun, the bottle keeps well for a year or more.