Bowmore 21-year-old

Needs time in the glass to develop. The taste description of Schwengel fits very well. At first I didn't find it as good as the 19, but with the 2nd and 3rd dram it became rounder, deeper, more elegant. 81-85 – Wow, really good one

Quite typical Bowmore, but not a lot of special elements in this dram. Still elegant and comfortable, but it is a bit shy. The French Oak Barriques give some woody notes and winey notes, but it also make the whisky drier. Moderate peat, while some of the fruity notes are hid under the wood spices and tannin. Good, but not the best kind of expression I would like to seek in Bowmore.

sweet, salty and savoury.. drinks like a sweet, velvety desert wine, alcohol is well wrapped and covered.. however, it lacks personality and it remains just nice.

Needs some time in the glass...

heavy, dark forest fruits, raisins, melted molasses, lots of blackberries and ripe forest raspberries, toffee, dark dark chocolate, wet oak, caramelized red orange peel, hazelnuts, the whole thing is shrouded in smoke on a bed of moist forest peat in a wet old cellar, oily Finish.... a long, accentuating Islay profile, warming with oily peat and a hint of ash from the fire, salt and sea breeze

Tasted in Blind. A captivating dram that feels dark yet lively, and lively yet shaded with darkness at the same time. It presents a fascinating contrast between depth and freshness, making it both engaging and satisfying. Blind Reasoning Despite the stated ABV of around 48%, the nose shows virtually no alcohol prickle and delivers a surprisingly generous sense of volume. Fresh raspberry and plum dominate at first, supported by a distinctly wine-driven character reminiscent of Merlot and hints of balsamic vinegar. The absence of dried fruit makes a sherry cask influence unlikely, while the lack of apple, pear, or tropical fruit suggests that classic bourbon cask maturation may not be the primary driver. Leather notes and a soft, fluffy vanilla character stand out strongly, evoking the impression of French oak rather than virgin oak. This leads to the suspicion of maturation in a high-quality red wine cask or possibly a cognac cask, rather than straightforward oak types. There is a clear presence of peat, though it does not align with heavily peated Kildalton-style distilleries, Caol Ila, or aggressively smoky profiles like Ballechin. Instead, it feels closer to moderately peated distilleries aged for around two decades, such as Bowmore, Ardmore, or Springbank. The pronounced salinity further reinforces the impression of a coastal or island distillery. On the palate, a very specific combination of roasted barley, wet tobacco leaf, rubber, smoke, and grapefruit appears—almost identical to the profile experienced in Bowmore 18 Deep & Complex. If tasted completely blind, this could easily have been mistaken for that particular bottling. However, given the provided ABV, that exact match seems unlikely, though Bowmore still feels like the most convincing fit. While not entirely confident, the emergence of cassis and hazelnut notes raises the suspicion of port cask influence. Estimated Specs (Guessed) ① : ~20 years / 48% / French oak red wine cask (Merlot-style influence) ② : ~20 years / 48% / Cognac cask ③ : ~20 years / 48% / Port cask Guessed Distillery ① : Bowmore

3223'90 - Give him time and he will make you happy!

Overall nosing is good, taste weaken to me

This reminds me of a well made French onion soup that was hit with a hint of smoke. Elegant and very good.

Many thanks to sponsor Fäba

Nose: Sweet, peach, passion fruit, apricot jam, spices, oak, smoke, malt ••• Taste: Sweet, spicy oak, slightly maritime, smoke, pineapple, passion fruit, some orange, malt ••• Finish: Medium to long, sweet notes of light fruits with light maritime smoke and some oak remain ••• Conclusion: To begin with, there is a beautiful, strong, sweet nose with lots of light fruits. Spices and oak are added. The smoke is pleasant in the background. Every now and then I am reminded of dried light fruits. A strong start to the taste. Sweet notes and spicy oak are there at the beginning. Then comes maritime smoke. Now pineapple, passion fruit and some orange follow, and more and more sweetness. A fantastic whisky. Great, intense notes. Lots of fruit. Everything is underlined by maritime notes and smoke. Simply delicious.

Quick hit review. Online tasting 10/2024. Usually, I would not touch official bottlings of Bowmore with a barge pole, and I do not like wine casks - so buckle up. On the nose, leather, tobacco and red currants take turns with herbal teas, brine and hints of soot. It is dry, almost astringent, but there is a certain elegance. Orange zest kicks off the bitter and acidic arrival before menthol, rich tannins and a touch of rubber emerge. The peat is more suggested than imposed. Fresh mint, lime juice and sour berries remain in the resinous finish. It is not as bad as I anticipated, but is it worth the money? RATING: 3.7/5.0 stars ≙ 85 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE [+]

The only problem is that the overall experience was unpleasant.

Freshly opened - first impression: Nice wine maturation that goes well with Bowmore. I'm curious how it will develop in the bottle. Compared to the 19er from Amazon at the time, I can't see a sulfur note here.

Aroma - calm, saturated, sweet. Cinnamon, vanilla, wine motifs, overripe grapes, peach, tropical fruits. Delicate smoked smoke, minerality, noble woody-tobacco tones. The taste is rich, bright. Bitter chocolate, ripe peaches, spicy spices, ginger, chili pepper. Delicate smoke and wood, light minerality. The aftertaste is long. Delicate peat smoke, spicy spices, woody tones, roasted sunflower seeds, chili pepper, ginger

whiskynotes.be - 79 points

Spicy French Oak is on top here. Not much Bowmore profile to be found until at the aftertaste. Very smooth and oily on the palate, yet some alcohol tries to come through...weird...tasted from a 2cl sample.

- a very tasty Bowmore - not a bargain, but very tasty and a really good single Malt from Islay

A great bottling, despite the 21 year old wine barrel, the barrel is not unpleasant. The nose is the highlight here, pulsating, exciting and harmonious. In comparison, the 19-year-old Amazon Exclusive is a bit lighter and fruity-sweeter in my memory; to put it the other way round, this 21-year-old version is stronger and spicier.

Overrated for sure. This is an average dram (which is the sad standard of Bowmore nowadays).

Tasted at whisky show 2021, to me the wine cask maturation doesnt really do it as I get some cooked cabbage aromas

Aroma Sweet, some smoke, spicy, berry taste Full, berry, chocolate, spicy wood, notes of wine, ginger spiciness finish Medium length, sweet, spicy

Aroma - calm, saturated, sweet. Cinnamon, vanilla, wine motifs, overripe grapes, peach, tropical fruits. Delicate smoked smoke, minerality, noble woody-tobacco tones. The taste is rich, bright. Bitter chocolate, ripe peaches, spicy spices, ginger, chili pepper. Delicate smoke and wood, light minerality. The aftertaste is long. Delicate peat smoke, spicy spices, woody tones, roasted sunflower seeds, chili pepper, ginger Conclusion: Aged, complex with a rich palette of aromas and flavors of whisky.

A delicious bottling. The aromas brought in by the wine barrel don't seem artificial, but are wonderfully interwoven with the rest. Especially in combination with the maritime smoke, it's really amazing. It really appeals to me. I'm so happy to have another bottle of this bottling in the cupboard.

The nose reveals notes of toffee, dark fruit, red berries, and a bold hint of smoked oak. Intense sweetness with notes of dark chocolate, raisins, licorice, and peat smoke follow on the palate. The finish is long, spicy, slightly sweet, but the dryness of the wine is also noticeable and there is a pleasant dry-wine smoke and sea breeze.

Would say pretty rich, light and polished in the same time... Pretty good Bowmore, one of better OBs Will not chase a bottle for sure

Tasted from a sample. I would like to get to know this one more closely. Really nicely done. Some of us have nightmares about red wine aging, but this is subtle stuff. The nose is especially nice. Not my favourite Bowmore ever (prefer some of the Feis Ile bottlings), but a very good malt indeed. However, I don’t think I’d fork out the RRP for a full bottle.

Had it in the glass for the third time now. It got better every time. The oxygen did him a lot of good. Mega heavy in the glass, oily and nice and sweet. It's just that he can't quite convince at the back.

...a spicy, mature and wonderfully balanced Bowmore... very complex... gentle smoke... wonderfully spicy European oak.... a top malt! [color:] = copper;

Humidor, old furniture, burnt medicine box, minerals, fried fish, wheat porridge, rye bread, hazelnuts, chocolate, caramel, butter, herbs, menthol, candy, red pepper.

Wine casks: it's always very tricky, but this is a good one. Fruity on the nose and not nearly as much tannic bitterness in the finish as I ususally get from this style of maturation.

Pretty impressive for a maturation on red wine casks, to be honest they often scare me a bit on the palate and finish. This one is very well executed though, and certainly among the best red wine maturations I enjoyed so far. I really doubt the barriques are first fill, the label states that is has been fully matured for 21 years in French oak barriques that once held Château Lagrange Grand Cru red wine. "Once" is a pretty loose statement.

Aroma: A gentle wisp of peat smoke, like a distant bonfire, layered over fresh barley and honeysuckle.· Palate: Surprisingly sweet arrival with honey and pear, then a building wave of gentle ash and earthy peat.· Finish: Medium length, the smoke and sweetness intertwine gracefully until the very end.

What do I make of this whisky? Although the nose promised a lot, neat the experience was a bit weak and somewhat disappointing. Only the addition of water brought out a bit more aroma and strength in the flavor, but at the same time weakened the finish too much. For a Bowmore official bottling, however, it's actually quite a decent result. Unfortunately, I still find this whisky lacking a certain something.

Smell: Winegums, red berries, mineral, earthy and slightly salty, fine wood flavor, subtle herbs, a slight sweetness can be heard, caramel and burnt wood. Taste: Sweet, heavy and almost creamy, red berries again, milk chocolate, toffee, the smoke is more intense in the mouth, earthy, white pepper, herbs and oak spice come through. Finish: Long and warming, dry, cocoa, roasted nuts, smoke and charcoal. Conclusion: surprising that the wine aromas do not get out of hand here after 21 years of maturation, but rather enter into a pleasant connection with the Bowmore character. For me an absolutely successful bottling!

Today, 5 Bowmore in direct comparison: https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/191074/bowmore-21-year-old 88P - nose very very cool. In the taste unfortunately too spicy / herbal & dirty. https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/179590/bowmore-21-year-old 90-91P, depending on the shape of the day. Nice mix of old and new Bowie parts and the sherry is nicely balanced. https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/189257/rumours-1990-uwc 90P - wonderfully fruity, slightly smoky, and a nice long finish. At any rate, the least violets of all 5 today. Unfortunately not exciting enough to reach the 91P today. https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/43882/bowmore-1998-twa 90-91p. In terms of rating, I put it on the same level as the 21y Aston Martin because it suits my taste exactly. Slightly sweeter and less violet than the 21y AM. At the age of 15, however, he does not have the complexity for this. https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/133089/bowmore-1990-wy 90p Best nose of any Bowmore tried today. Extremely fruity and tops the Rumors 30y again in the nosing. Unfortunately, the violet notes dominate in the Taste, which do not suit a Bourbon Bowmore at all. My conclusion, unfortunately I could not identify a clear winner. Except for the 21y Wine Cask, they are all very close.

Beautiful fruity-tart Bowmore. Quite tannin-heavy both in the nose and in the mouth. The floral smoke harmonizes beautifully here. For me it is one of the few distillates that (usually) harmonizes beautifully with red wine barrels. In terms of value for money, I would prefer the 19-year-old

Multi-layered malt, first-class smoke aroma, sometimes fruity-sweet, sometimes fruity-sour, the wine finish is omnipresent, the finish is long and multifaceted - 08/14/2023

Nice whisky, subtle smokecher, the cherry fruitiness dominates. I'm always a bit cautious with winecasks, but here no sourness, just pleasant cherries and cassis. Enjoyable dram.

All good but the finish So sad damn.

Typical Bowmore - campfire-ashy, mineral, great barrels - the wine barrel aging is once again pretty good. Great nose and surprisingly tasty. In the B-Note, the alcohol is only moderately well integrated in the nose and the finish is only medium-long.

As leisurely as this Bowmore burbles along in the nose, it seems uneven when drinking. It alternates between highs and lows, which I think are due to the barrels used. In places it is a taste experience, but as a whole it is quite unusual and not my cup of tea. For the full review, click here: https://keinehalbendrinks.de/2025/01/09/evolution-of-bowmore/

Nose... A hint of smoke from a dying fire combined with subtle peat, then sweetness and a slight spice, vanilla, buttery toffee and fudge, condensed milk mixed with dry white wine. Taste... Slightly oily, smoky character maintains sweet and creamy dry AROMAS, delicate and mild without sharpness, truffles, pistachio butter and a bit of acacia honey Finish... Quite long, mainly light peat smoke and some spices, dried fruit.

The bottle does not contain any evidence of any staining or cold filtration. Since the reference to the coloring is printed on other Bowmore bottles, it may not be present here after all, although the first dealer sold it with the reference to a coloring.

What a great fabric, beautiful wine barrel aging. Complex, exciting and super balanced. For me it is slightly ahead of the very successful 19y Bowmore WID119782.

White pepper, citrus, red berries, proper tannin and oak coming up from behind, charcoal unique to modern bowmore, using red wine cask but there is no uncomfortable taste and the balance between characters is very good Highly aired condition: Green and grassy taste often reminiscent of springbank, very high quality

Excellent dram, one of the best Bowmores I've ever tasted. Peated distillate fits very well with the red wine cask.

90.5 points

Amber color. Slight oiliness.

AROMAS: Delicate with peppery spices, rich sherry sweetness and a touch of salty marine notes. FLAVOURS: Balanced and full of character, with a pleasant peppery note, sherry-infused dark fruits and a delicate smoky note that gives it a spicy, slightly salty character. FINISH: Creamy and warming, with rich fruit, salty dark chocolate and a lingering balance of sweetness and smoke

The whisky is fully matured in First-Fill Château Lagrange Grand Cru Classé barriques. So, this seems to be part 2 of the ‘French Oak’ series and follows the very nice 19y French Oak bottled 2018/2019 (https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/119782 and https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/162190). Maybe this is a second batch from those casks.

Very successful combination.

The second release of a limited edition series of French Oak expressions, fully matured in French Oak Barriques from Grand Cru classé winery Château Lagrange.

Green grape, grape, vanilla, caramel, apple, leather Complex yet stable fruits with caramel and vanilla harmony. On the palate, berries and vanilla shine beautifully.

Upon pouring this whisky, aromas of spice, sherry sweetness, sea salt, and a hint of brine unfold in the glass. The palate is rounded and full-bodied, with a peppery note. Sherry sweetness, dark fruit, marine notes, and smoky accents complete the profile. The finish is full, oily, and warming, with notes of fruit, dark chocolate, candy, and smoke.

Just the name Bowmore is enough to make you want to try a dram. The oldest distillery of the island, has not acquired such a good reputation without reason. It remains one of the most consistent distilleries in terms of the quality of its bottlings. And with this bottling, it simply confirms the above. - On the nose, the first thing is the obvious influence of the wine barrel. Bowmore's light smoke is present, along with earthy notes, dark fruit, red berries and caramel. - In the mouth pleasure!!!! Oily, with earthy smoke, dark fruits. Thick body, complexity and refined and maritime notes. The alcohol where it should be, perfectly integrated. - Finish is long and slightly spicy at the beginning, gradually giving way to sweeter notes of dark fruits. The smoke is always in the background, accompanying you until the last moment, without ever becoming dominant. - In general, once again the Bowmore distillery does what it knows how to do best. To give excellent and delicious bottlings that do not disappoint you. At the RRP of €200, for such a nice 21-year-old whisky, it seems like a bargain to me. Don't miss the opportunity to try it if you get the chance!!

I miss a little bit of Bowmore character in it, but for a full maturation in wine casks which to my tast is working excellent with Bowmore, this whisky is super nice to drink. Quality, around 200 Euros and worth it

Sampled in a Bowmore tasting. WB209065, WB243244, WB55398, WB189257, WB191074, WB27248, WB221829. S 7.5 Can feel the dilution but achieved a very good balance in flavour profile and texture. 86-90 - Great! Worth buying and sharing

Oh, what a good whisky. It has everything I like. Sweetness and chocolate, coffee, fruitiness, a bit of smoke, suede leather. It is very gentle to drink. Delicious.

Bought this bottle a while back as a present and we directly tried it.

Nose... On the nose, delicate smoke is very, very nice, squeezing through the raisins, figs, dates and spices — the kind used for mulled red wine. Taste... Pleasantly heavy in taste, quite oily, honey, a bit of smoke, caramelized fruit. Finish... The aftertaste lingers for a long time, it is pleasant - a bit like hot, but not at all sweet chocolate with some spices, a bit of sea breeze and the freshness of dawn over the ocean.

Delicious! this is an extremely successful release. After trying the Bowmore No.1 Vaults red wine cask single cask, I actually feel this bottle is better balanced than the single cask version. Honestly, I prefer this one—no exaggeration, haha. At 48% ABV, the structure and intensity are spot on, and the alcohol is very well integrated—almost no alcoholic harshness at all. It’s seriously easy to drink. A solid 90+ points Bowmore.

https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/179590/bowmore-21-year-old The two 21s in comparison: This one is fruity and right. Like strawberries and raspberries. Plus chocolate. The Aston Martin is darker, has herbal notes and more smoke (bacon). Sour, nutty and sweet at the same time. Different but equally good for me. It just depends on what you're in the mood for.