https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2019/01/30/cadenheads-warehouse-tasting-battle-of-the-brands-part-2-2/
“What do you think of this one?”, asks Cameron. I gauged a solid & considered applause from at least 50% of the audience, but I reckon most already want a bottle before they’ve even properly tried it.
N: Hugely potent and floral, possessing a little smoke, a vibrant bunch of violets, cubed ginger, quince jelly, sweet olive oil/sewing machine oil,… This rocks!
T: Delivers too, at first. Lots of smoke, violets, savoury-sweet veg, fruits, flora n fauna…..
F: Turns a touch meaty > coppery with dried flowers and metallic herbal bitter.
C: It seems that just about everyone has jumped on the bandwagon and is queueing for the Bowmore. I leave the warehouse and sit on a grassy knoll under the blazing sun, whilst reflecting on the Glenturret [and that peated English in Part 1]. Despite playing a tipsy Bah Humbug role, an hour later I have joined the queue that has almost disappeared, along with the whisky, save for a handful of people and the last swishes of a hogshead. The cask is very low but I manage to procure a bottle. There was no chance of me flipping it as I’d forgotten [in my stupor] to get it bottle-sealed. So, why did I buy this? For the violets! Isn’t that one of THE distinctive distillery character notes of yesteryear, and so perhaps this is a new/contemporary Bowmore masterpiece? Whisky sure does go to my head, and boy is it fun!
Scores a B