Why can't I buy Bowmore?

[jazznut]

Originally Posted by Herf

...Bowmore Darkest Islay... Any feedback on this one?

This is a vatting of predominantly ex-Bourbon barrel matured whiskies of varying ages (though a large proportion of these spirits are in their teens) that is finished off in Oloroso Sherry casks - hence the lack of a specified age on the label.

The Darkest was originally conceived as a cost-effective reincarnation of sorts of the great Black Bowmore issues distilled during the early to mid 1960s, which have gone on to become incredibly rare, expensive collectors' items.

Early bottlings of the Darkest were quite astounding, although evidencing something of a schizophrenic flavour spectrum as the decided fruit cake sweetness derived from the Oloroso wood played off against the Islay salt and peat. However, some individuals have suggested that the overall quality thereater suffered somewhat, with certain batches seeming a little substandard while others continued to show quite well. The key to this up-and-down aspect could possibly be traced back to the Sherry casks employed - high quality casks from Jerez are notoriously expensive, and variable. There was also some intimation that caramel colouring was being employed in more than prudent amounts to ensure a consistently darkish hue during the bottling process - such rumours are not uncommon in Scotch circles, and are very difficult to verify.

It's been a couple of years since I've purchased the Darkest, so I'm not really in a position to comment on the quality quotient vis-a-vis current releases. But if you prefer a little Islay-Jerez excitement over subtlety and balance, this one might just be for you. I've enjoyed it mightily in the past.