Another day, another distillery open day on Islay and today is Bowmore day at Feis Ile 2015!

Bowmore, the oldest distillery on Islay released a straight forward ex-bourbon whisky but it’s a first fill cask so extra fruitiness and sweetness are expected. Right?

Bowmore Feis Ile 2014 (56.1%)

Nose: Young at nose. at least at first, as it’s light with young maltiness and sweet peat. After it settled in the glass there are spices, pears and green apples, pastry dough but the peat profile is very bowmore-y.

Palate: Sweet peat transforming to smoke and sweet stew of cured meat and fruits. honey,  citrus and oak with a dash of spicy pepper.

Finish: Long finish with Oroblanco (hybrid of Pomelo/Grapefruit), sweet peat, ash and smoked meat, oak wood spices, smooth despite young age.

Thoughts: This is a rock solid Bowmore with added sweetness and fruitiness from the first fill bourbon cask that almost negate all the youth effects from the spirit. I think it, just like the Caol Ila, got lost a bit amid all the other very good Feis Ile 2014 releases, as it pale a bit in comparison. Nevertheless, by itself it’s a nice young tasty whisky. Slainte!