"Toffeed nuts, peat, spice, and creamy vanilla aromas. a round supple entry leads to a dry-yet-fruity medium-full body of honeyed toast, golden raisins, anise and other brown spices. Finishes with a sweet caramel and nut toast fade with a streak of iodine and peat."

I like this Bowmore better than all the previous bourbon oak-aged, ultra-mature Bowmore whiskies that have been released over the past fifteen years. (There have been several.) The oak is always present, but not dominant. And the whisky really evolves on the palate, just like the Black Bowmore releases. This emphasis here is on fruit, bright fruit: peach, tangerine, mango, ripe melon, and pineapple. There’s a soft, gentle side to the whisky too, enhanced by sweeter notes of pancake syrup, orange creamsickle and white chocolate. Heavy oak notes emerge, along with teasing, earthy smoke, to give the whisky depth and bottom notes. The smoke and oak linger long on the finish. Very contemplative. In short, an outstanding whisky, but not quite reaching the excellence of Black Bowmore.