Distillery in Focus:           Bowmore
Region: Islay
Name: Bowmore Distillery (“the big hut” or "the big reef").
Status: Active
Website: www.bowmore.co.uk
Telephone: 01496 810671
Address: School street, Bowmore, Isle of Islay, PA43 7JS
Visitor centre: Yes
Owner: Morrison Bomwore Distillers Ltd, Suntory Ltd.
Established in 1779.
Stills: 2 Wash and 2 Spirit stills.
Percentage of single malts: 100%
Casks used for maturation are sherry (14%) and bourbon casks (86%). Since a few years, the policy of Bowmore is to used exclusively first fill cask

Regular Bottling:
The bowmore range was changed in 2007 later in February 2012.

Bowmore 12 YO, 40%
Bowmore Enigma 12 YO, 40%
Bowmore 15 YO Darkest (sherry finished), 40%
Bowmore 1990 Oloroso, 53.8%
Bowmore 18 YO, 43% (replacing the 17 YO version)
Bowmore 25 YO, 43% (replacing the 21 YO version)

Bowmore is also releasing some vintage editions, such as the Bowmore 1968 43.4% or the Bowmore Seadragon 30 YO edition 2006 43%. Bowmore are medium peated whiskyies, but the spirit distilled in 1968 was unpeated. The most famous limited edition of Bowmore is the Black Bowmore. The Black Bowmore were very dark coloured sherried Bowmore bottled in 1993 (2000 bottles, 29 YO), in 1994 (2000 b., 30 YO) and in 1995 (1812 b., 31 YO). Initally sold for about £125, it it now sold for £1500 when you can find it.

Contributed to the following blends: "Rob Roy", "Black bottle", "Islay Legend".

For tasted whiskies, click here

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History of Bowmore

The distillery was built in 1779 and started operating the same year. The founder was David Simson (also spelled Simpson). In 1816 the proprietor of the distillery was John Simpson. Between 1825 and 1826 John Johnston is the owner and for the period of 1826-1837 John Simpson. Two merchants from Glasgow, William and James Mutter bought the distillery in 1837. The distillery remained under their name from 1852 until 1890 when the family firm went out of business. Over the following years, the distillery changed several times of owner and was put up for sale in 1922. In 1892, the name of Joseph Robert Holmes of Bowmore Distillery Co. is recorded. The distillery is purchased in 1925 by Sheriff’s Bowmore Distillery Ltd, which was acquired in 1950 by William Grigor and Sons Ltd of Inverness. The distillery was closed between 1939 and 1945 and was taken by the Coastal command.In 1963, Stanley P. Morrison Ltd acquired the distillery and the name of the company changed to Morrison Bowmore Distillers in 1987. Since 1994, Morrison Bowmore is property of the Japanese company Suntory Co.

At the start of the millennium, Bowmore has changed its cask policy and it is now using exclusively first fill casks.

The traditionnal floor malting of Bowmore in operation.	Some of the washbacks
The four tradionnal copper stills	and finally some of the most prestigious and oldest casks of Bowmore (some from 1958).

Source: www.bowmore.co.uk, Distillery Visit, The Scotch Whisky Book by Tom Bruce-Gardyne, The Making of Scotch whisky by John R. Hume & Michael S. Moss and The Scotch Whisky Distilleries by Misako Udo.
www.whisky-news.com©22 Feb. 2007

Tasted whiskies (100):

Official/Original bottlings (OB)
Age
Bowmore 7 YO Sheriff, OB, 43%.	Rating: 19/20
Bowmore 7 YO Feis Ile 2007, OB, 57.1%	Rating: 17/20
Bowmore 10 YO Devil’s Cask II, OB, 56.3%, B:2014.	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 10 YO Tempest Batch 1 , OB, 55.3%, B:2009	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 10 YO Tempest Batch 2, OB, 56% B: 2010	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 10 YO Tempest Batch 3, OB, 55.6%, B: 2011	Rating: 14/20
Bowmore 10 YO Tempest Batch 4 (IV), OB,  55.1%, B: 2012	Rating: 14/20
Bowmore 10 YO Tempest 5, OB, 55.9%, B: 2014.	Rating: 14/20
Bowmore 12 YO "Dumpy", OB, 43%, B: 1980s	Rating: 19/20
Bowmore Hand Filled First Fill Sherry Cask Feis Ile 2015, 12 YO, OB, 59.6%, B:2015	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 15 YO Darkest, OB, B: 2007, 43%	Rating: 14/20
Bowmore 15 YO Laimrig Feis Ile 2011, OB, 54.4%, B: 2011. 500 b.	Rating: 16/20
Bowmore White Sand, 17 YO, OB, 43%, B:2014	Rating: 09/20
Bowmore 18 YO, OB, B: 2007, 43%	Rating: 12/20
Bowmore 18 YO, OB, 43%, B:2014	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 25 YO, OB, 43%, B: 2005	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 25 YO Ceramic decanter "sea gulls", OB, 43%	Rating: 14/20
Bowmore 25 YO Small Batch Release, OB, 43%, B: 2013.	Rating: 14/20
Bowmore 30 YO Seadragon, OB, 43%, B:1990.	Rating: 18/20
Bowmore 30 YO Seadragon, OB, 43%, B:1990.	Rating: 18/20
Vintages
Bowmore 1956, OB, 43%.	Rating: 19/20
Bowmore 1963 Anniversary, 30 YO, OB, 50%, B: 1993	Rating: 19/20
Bowmore 1964 Bourbon, 38 YO, OB, 43.2%, 300 b	Rating: 18/20
Bowmore White 1964, 43 YO, OB, 42.8%, B: 2008	Rating: 19/20
Bowmore Gold 1964, 44 YO, OB, 42.4%	Rating: 19/20
BowmoreBlack 1st Edition 1964, OB, 50%	Rating: 19/20
Black Bowmore 2nd Edition 1964, OB, 50%	Rating: 17/20
Black Bowmore 1964 Final Edition, OB, 49%	Rating: 15/20
BowmoreBlack Final (3rd) Edition 1964, OB, 49%	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 1965, 42 YO, OB, 43.6%, B: 2008, c.811, 42 b.	Rating: 20/20
Bowmore 1966, OB, 43%.	Rating: 16/20
Bowmore 1967, OB, 43%	Rating: 19/20
Bowmore 1972 for Globus, 35 YO, OB, B: 2007	Rating: 18/20
Bowmore 1974, OB, 43%, B: 1995	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 1981, 28 YO, OB, 49.6%, B: 2010, 402 b.	Rating: 08/20
Bowmore 1989 Bourbon, 16 YO, OB, 51.8%	Rating: 17/20
Bowmore 1991 Port Matured, 16 YO, OB, 53.1%	Rating: 16/20
Bowmore 1992 Wine Cask Matured, 16 YO, OB, 53.5%, B: 2008	Rating: 08/20
Unspecified
Bowmist (Sheriff), 70 Proof, OB	Rating: 16/20
Bowmore 100 Proof, OB, 57.1%, B: 2014	Rating: 10/20
Bowmore Bicentenary, OB, 43%, B: 1979.	Rating: 17/20
Bowmore 1779-1979 Bicentenary, OB, 43%.	Rating: 18/20
Bowmore 1779-1979 Bicentenary for Fecchio & Frassa, OB, 98.8°Proof /56.2%.	Rating: 18/20
Bowmore Black Rock, OB, 40%, B:2014	Rating: 11/20
Bowmore Gold Reef, OB, 43%, B:2014.	Rating: 09/20
Bowmore Feis Ile 2015 Virgin Oak, OB, 55.7%, B:2015	Rating: 14/20
Bomwore Legend, OB, 40%, B: 2006	Rating: 10/20
Bowmore Springtide, OB, 54.9%, B: 2014.	Rating: 15/20

Independent bottlings (IB) and "anonymous Bowmore ?"
Auxil (Fatima)
Single Islay Scotch Whisky, Fatima (Auxil), 40%, B:1980s.	Rating: 13/20
Berry Bros & Rudd (BBR)
Bowmore 1994 for LMDW, BBR, 56.2%, B: 2009, cask 1686	Rating: 09/20
Bowmore 1996, 10 YO, BBR, B: 2006, 46%, casks 26018/9	Rating: 08/20
Blackadder
Bowmore 1987, 21 YO, Blackadder, 48.7%	Rating: 12/20
Cadenhead's and Duthie
Bowmore 1964 for Corti, 22 YO, Duthie’s, 86 US proof.	Rating: 17/20
Bowmore 1991, 14 YO, Cadenhead's, 56.1%, B: 2006, 294 b.	Rating: 11/20
Dewar Rattray and A.D. Rattray
Bowmore 1991, 15 YO, Dewar Rattray, 56.5%, B: 2006, c. 2053, 433 b.	Rating: 18/20
Bowmore 1999,14 YO, A.D. Rattray, 58.8%. B: 2014, c. 2261, 287 b.	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 1996 For Germany, 17 YO, A.D. Rattray, 57.1%, B: 2014	Rating: 12/20
Douglas Laing and Clan Denny
Bowmore OMC 1983, 25 YO, D. Laing, 50%, B: 2008, 259 b., Ref 4189	Rating: 10/20
Bowmore 1990 For Divo, 19 YO, Clan Denny, 53.8%	Rating: 14/20
Duncan Taylor
Bowmore 1966, 36 YO, D.Taylor, 43.26%, B:2002, c. 3306, 201 b.	Rating: 18/20
Bowmore 1968, 37 YO D.Taylor, 40.5%. B: 2006, c. 3822
Bowmore 1969, 32 YO, D. Taylor, 41.2%, B: 2002, c 6087, 234 b.	Rating: 17/20
Bowmore 1982 The Octave, Duncan Taylor, 50.6%, B: 2009, c. 378770.	Rating: 13/20
Bowmore 1998 NC2, 10 YO, Duncan Taylor, 46%, B: 2008.	Rating: 13/20
First Editions, The
Bowmore 1997, 14 YO, The First Editions, 54.8%, B: 2012	Rating: 15/20
Bowmore 1999, 14 YO, The First Editions, 51.4%, B: 2014, 188 b.	Rating: 13/20
Hart Brothers
Bowmore 1965, Hart Brothers, 43%, B: 1998	Rating: 17/20
Jack Wiebers
Bowmore 11 YO European Oak Old train line, JWWW, 52.9%, D: 1996, B: 2007	Rating: 17/20
Kingsbury
Bowmore 1973, 25 YO, Kingsbury's, 46%. c. 3172.	Rating: 19/20
Maltbarn
Bowmore 2001, 11 YO, Maltbarn, 53.6%, B: 2012	Rating: 13/20
Malts of Scotland (MoS)
Bowmore 1989, MoS, 51.2%. B: 2012	Rating: 17/20
Bowmore 2000, 8 YO, MoS, 60.1%, B: 2009, c. 800267, 215 b.	Rating: 11/20
Murray McDavid
Bowmore 2000 sherry, 7 YO, MMD, 46%, B: 2007. 2450 b.	Rating: 12/20
Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)
Bowmore 3.118, 15 YO, SMWS, 1988 B: 2005, 55.6%, 299 b.	Rating: 08/20
Bowmore 3.128, 10 YO, SMWS, 57.7%, D: 1997, B: 2007	Rating: 13/20
Bomwore 3.132, 10 YO, SWMS, 59.6%, D:1997 B:2007	Rating: 12/20
Bomwore 3.134, 7 YO, SMWS, 59.5%, B:2008, 268 b.	Rating: 12/20
Bomwore 3.135, 7 YO, SMWS, 58%, D: 2000, B:2008, 256 b.	Rating: 09/20
Bowmore 1997 Doctors surgeries and flower shops 3.202, 15 YO, SMWS, 57.4%, B:2013.	Rating: 15/20
Sestante
Bowmore 1971, 14 YO, Sestante, 57.7%.	Rating: 17/20
Bowmore 1971 White Label, 14 YO, Sestante, 57.7%	Rating: 16/20
Bowmore 1971, 18 YO, Sestante, 40%, B: 1990	Rating: 17/20
Bowmore 1973, 16 YO, Sestante, 62.8%, B: 1990	Rating: 18/20
Signatory
Bowmore 1968, 31 YO, Signatory, 44%, B: 1999, c 3820 252b	Rating: 19/20
Bowmore WoW 1970, 35 YO, 52.1%, Signatory, B:2006	Rating: 19/20
Bowmore 1972 Prestonfield for LMDW, 36 YO, Signatory, B: 2008	Rating: 16/20
Bowmore 1972 WoW, 36 YO, Signatory, 44.6%, B: 2009	Rating: 18/20
Islay (Bowmore) Prestontfield 1990, Signatory, 50.4%, B:2010	Rating: 14/20
Bowmore 1998 for LMDW, Signatory, 46%, B: 2010, c. 800191, 756 b.	Rating: 14/20
Bowmore Prestonfield Malt, 10 YO, Signatory, 43%	Rating: 15/20
Single malts of Scotland
Bowmore 1985, Single Malts of Scotland, 54.9%, B: 2012	Rating: 08/20
Bowmore 1999, 15 YO, Single Malts of Scotland, 55.2%, B: 2014, 266 b.	Rating: 15/20
Speciality drinks (Elements of Islay)
Elements of Islay BW1 (Bowmore), Speciality Drinks, 52.9%, B: 2012	Rating: 15/20
Strathblair
Bowmore 1993, 9 YO, Strathblair Collection, 44%	Rating: 15/20
Whiskies of Scotland
Bowmore 8 YO, Whiskies of Scotland. 46.2%, B: 2011	Rating: 15/20
The Whisky Agency (TWA) and Liquid Sun
Bowmore 1989, 22 YO, Liquid Sun, 50.7%, B: 2011, 256 b.	Rating: 11/20
Bowmore 1993 The Perfect Dram, 16 YO, TWA, 53.8%, B: 2010. 222 b.	Rating: 15/20
Whiskybroker
Bowmore 1997, 14 YO, Whiskybroker, 55%, B:2011, c.800220, 183 b.	Rating: 16/20
The Whisky Cask
Bowmore 2003, 10 YO, The Whisky Cask, 59.5%, B: 2013	Rating: 14/20
The Whisky Exchange & Speciality Drinks
Bowmore 1993 The Whisky Show, 18 YO, TWE, 61.6%, B: 2011, 195 b.	Rating: 16/20
The Whisky Fair
Bowmore 1989 Joint bottling with Tokyo 3-rivers, 20 YO, The Whisky Fair, 51%, B: 2010.	Rating: 14/20

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