Bowmore Trio
Three official bottlings | Various ABV
Why Isn’t Bowmore Good?
The riddle of whisky appreciation—the inexplicable chasm between expectation and reality - between admiration and indifference. We survey the rugged landscape, the salt-kissed shores, the smoky whispers of peat-laden legacy, and yet... one distillery simply refuses to seduce our senses. Bowmore.
The undisputed elder statesman of Islay, perched like a monarch on the shores since 1779 - crowned with history, draped in prestige. Its No. 1 Vaults, the oldest whisky maturation warehouse in Scotland, hoarding secrets that could rewrite the dram-lover’s gospel. And yet, despite all the adoration poured upon it, despite the reverent tones spoken by connoisseurs in hushed whisky rooms, it lingers on the edges of our intrigue — present, acknowledged, but never embraced.
It’s not for lack of trying. We’ve walked the streets of Bowmore, inhaled the salt-heavy air, let the maritime breeze tease us with the romance of the ocean. We’ve sipped the spirit, tasted the history, entertained the possibility. But the whisky epiphany? The moment of revelation, where the stars align and a dram etches itself into the fabric of your passion? Never happened. Not in modern times.
Is it the peat profile? Hardly. You’ve danced with the unapologetic blaze of Laphroaig, sparred with the thunderous punch of Octomore, and savoured the nuanced smoke of Kilchoman. It’s not the style: sherry-forward, dark-fruited, polished elegance. It’s refined, yes, but perhaps too restrained. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the spectre of chill filtration and caramel colouring - quietly but brutally dulling the edges of authenticity?
That’s the fascinating paradox of whisky. For all its artistry, for all its complexity, sometimes it doesn’t matter how many boxes are ticked—some spirits simply fail to find their way into your heart. And that’s perfectly fine. Whisky isn’t supposed to be universal; it’s personal, subjective, shaped by taste, mood, and inexplicable preference.
Because not every bottle is meant to be a love affair. Some are destined to remain casual acquaintances, others to be ignored completely.
But here’s the burning question: Can peace be made with Bowmore? Can a final attempt—a deliberate, open-hearted experiment—rewrite the narrative? Or will it forever remain the dram that never quite found its way into our collections?
Time, and another pour, or three, may tell.
Review 1/3
Bowmore No.1, official bottling, NAS, 40% ABV
£29 and general availability
Score: 2/10
Avoid.
TL;DR
I use this for whisky sauce to go with haggis
Nose
There is more nose than taste. It has a pleasant hint of cut grass and some citrus.
Palate
The taste isn’t unpleasant, but there is an absolute lack of flavour. At a push you can pick out some mild citrus fruit and a hint of vanilla. It is lacking in any character and is thin with no longevity of taste. There is no noticeable peat.
The Dregs
I struggle to say much about this. It has sat ignored by me pretty much since it was opened and this exercise hasn’t changed my view in any way. It is not unpleasant, but massively lacking in taste; it wouldn’t be my choice.
I’m left staring into my glass, contemplating the ultimate whisky paradox: How can something with all the right ingredients still feel so... uninspired?
Score: 2/10
Review 2/3
Bowmore 15yo Sherry Cask, official bottling, 43% ABV
£70 and general availability
Score: 3/10
Disappointing.
TL;DR
To be honest, it’s a bit pointless
Nose
The nose gives a really nice level of saltiness with some spicy fruit and a hint of glazed black forest cherry.
Palate
It is a bit dull tasting and only has very mild sherry overtures. There is some dark chocolate and mild spice. The legs are short and there is a lack of peat.
I assume that this is chill-filtered and coloured; there is nothing to say to the contrary.
The Dregs
The nose had promise—whispers of something intriguing, teasing me with the possibility of a memorable dram. A fleeting suggestion of depth. But then? The sip. The moment of truth. And… nothing. Just a phantom of taste, a spectre of what could have been. It doesn’t deliver; it doesn’t rise to meet expectations. The whisky simply exists.
Score: 3/10
Review 3/3
Bowmore Vaults Edition No.1, styled as Edit1oN, official bottling, ‘first release’, released in 2016, 51.5% ABV
£80-90 - £55 paid at auction, still some availability
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
Yes, good, but not good enough to turn my perception
Nose
It noses really pleasantly and it is light, with mango fruity tones and vanilla. There are some woody notes, but no peat to my nose. It is mildly salty in a very pleasant way.
Palate
It is lightly tasting whilst in the mouth, but once swallowed releases a burst of warm flavour, with long legs.
There is vanilla and light wood with some citrus fruit and mild cinnamon spice. Viscosity is low, it doesn’t taste thick in any way. The neck pour gave no noticeable salt taste, which seemed something of a disappointment, but subsequent drams did. Very little, if any, peat.
I can’t find anywhere whether it is coloured, or chill filtered, I have assumed that it is definitely coloured.
The Dregs
On paper—well, more precisely, on the label—this whisky whispers promises of greatness. But reality? The liquid itself just doesn’t quite rise to the occasion.
Nice? Yes. Groundbreaking? No.
The absence of an age statement immediately raises an eyebrow. A little mystery is fine, but in the whisky world - without any other detail - it suggests something on the younger side; a spirit still finding its footing, still lacking the depth that comes with patient maturation. And once it hits the glass, that suspicion doesn’t entirely fade. There’s something missing—a certain weight, a richness that only time in the cask can carve out.
It’s not bad, let’s be clear. It’s pleasant enough - enjoyable in its own way. But when expectation meets reality, the result is a dram that falls just short of delivering the magic.
Score: 6/10
The Final Dregs
There’s zero doubt—tucked away in the legendary Bowmore maturation warehouses; behind those age-old doors in the No.1 Vaults, there are some brilliant barrels. True masterpieces, drams capable of rewriting perceptions, of turning sceptics into disciples with a single sip. The problem? They rarely make it beyond the locked doors.
The Vault Edit1oN—is a step in the right direction, showcasing that extra ABV punch, that single cask-style purity. A glimmer of hope in the sea of mass-market releases that should, quite frankly, be approached with caution (or not at all).
And then there’s the spectacle—the flashy collaborations, the gilded bottle designs inspired by Aston Martins. Now, don’t get me wrong, if fate ever graces me with a gleaming, fresh-off-the-production-line Aston, sure, hand me a bottle of Bowmore with the keys. But will I love it? Will it somehow click where all others haven’t? Unlikely. The cold truth is, Bowmore should be focusing on flavour, not forging its identity through automotive aesthetics. Whisky is an experience.
Which leads me to the unavoidable decision: I’m still not planning to step foot in that distillery when I visit Islay this year. Not this time.
Even the Vault Edit1on isn’t fully drawing me in.
Tried these? Share your thoughts in the comments below. CC
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Other opinions on these:
Bowmore No.1:
Whiskybase
Jason Debly (video)
Bowmore 15yo Sherry Cask:
Whiskybase
Ralfy (video)
Bowmore Vaults Edition 1:
Whiskybase
Trenny & C (Comparison Short)
Got a link to a reliable review? Tell us.
