Bowmore 1971 21 Year Old, 1992, 43%

paperboat_atlas22 Aug

The smoky distillate catches my interest, but the relationship between fruit and metal is what makes this Bowmore more complicated. Apricot, gooseberries and grilled orange give the palate a brighter side alongside soft smoke and creaminess. The rusty iron and sour smoke on the nose are less comfortable territory for me, and the dirty notes on the palate add to that reservation. The finish keeps the tension going, with apricot alongside wet metal, peat, leather and old copper coins. I tend to look for a clear sense of malt character, and these notes point instead to a mix of fruit, smoke and metallic edges. There is plenty to consider here, even if its rougher details make it a qualified preference rather than an easy favourite.

Fruit and soft smoke keep this nicely balanced.

The apricot, gooseberry and grilled orange give this a clear fruity thread, with creamy notes and soft smoke offering some balance. It is not easygoing throughout: rusty metal, sour smoke and peat carry through the finish, alongside leather and a little spice. That tension makes it more intriguing than gentle, but the fruit keeps it from feeling one-note. A distinctive, somewhat challenging Islay malt.

raincheck.postcard27 Feb

Apricot and grilled orange give the description a fruity counterpoint to soft smoke. The metallic notes make the overall character sound less inviting to me, though that contrast does keep it from seeming one-note.