Bowmore – 25 Years Old (70cl, 43%)

Bowmore 25 Years Old is an Islay single malt matured in American ex-bourbon and European Oloroso sherry casks, then given a final sherry cask finish. It is bottled by the distillery at 43%. The smoke is restrained, sitting alongside ripe fruit and nutty sweetness. Vanilla cream, stone fruit, toffee and hazelnut add fullness, and butterscotch, toasted cocoa and mineral notes belong to its character too. On the nose, rhubarb, dried plums and sultanas meet fresh, slightly tart raspberry and creamy vanilla. The palate offers sweet stone fruit and confectionery notes with soft toffee and hazelnuts. The long finish keeps sweet smoke alongside toffee and hazelnut.