Bowmore No. 1

I didn’t have the Bowmore No. 1 in a big bottle, but only as a small 50 ml addition to the Bowmore 12 yo. A good size for tasting unknown drops. So is this simple malt, matured only in first fill bourbon casks.

Nose

The Bowmore surprises with its very light aroma for an Islay. It is almost sweet, with notes of vanilla. There is also a damp, slightly earthy spring meadow. The small amount of smoke surprised me.

Taste

This is where the Bowmore turns back into an Islay after all, with strong smoke and spice coating the tongue. There’s also oak, nuts and nice dark orange-chocolate.

Finish

Here the malt has a warm and smooth but lingering finish. The sweetness of the nose comes back and is accompanied by citrus notes.

Overall, Bowmore No. 1 is a smooth and not very spectacular single malt. It is okay, but nothing more. It scored 66/100 for me. Bowmore, for example, has a better whisky in its portfolio with the 15 yo.