Bowmore 1964 White 42.8% 1964

Professionele reviews

Serge Valentin (95)

After the legendary ‘Blacks’, here’s the new ‘White’, assembled from six bourbon casks.

Colour: gold, not white (but white wine isn’t white either, is it?)

Nose: amazing, in seven letters. Fantabulous notes of tropical fruits (where to start? Mangos, grapefruits, passion fruits, kiwis, god knows what else…) mingling with a very ‘Indian’ blend of spices. Cardamom, caraway, ground ginger, nutmeg, green curry… Stunning, really. There’s also these very maritime notes (kelp, iodine, wet beach) and these floral ones (lilies and peonies, beautifully heady here.) An amazing whisky – no, rather a perfume from the very best makers’.

Mouth: frankly, I had thought it would all happen on the nose, but it’s not the case at all. Superb attack all on passion fruits (my mum would say “buy passion fruits, it’s cheaper”) and then mastic-flavoured Turkish delights, a little roasted argan oil, lemon pie, all kinds of soft spices, high-end lemon squash and, as expected, notes of oak, with a very pleasant and subtle bitterness as a signature. And there’s well a little peat lingering somewhere…

Finish: probably not extremely bold but amazingly clean and straightforward for a short while, getting then very subtle and complex again. Whispers, but whispers for a very, very long time... … …

Comments: is this an “anti Black Bowmore”? Probably, as it’s very subtle, complex and maybe sometimes a tad ‘diaphanous’ but always very wonderful. And what a nose! The epitome of elegance as far as whisky is concerned. I’d even dare to write that it’s (almost) worth its heavy price tag.

Words of Whisky (94)

Tasting Notes by John Hansell (Malt Advocate)

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.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 94/100

BOW (95)

Producer`s Tasting Notes

Colour: Golden syrup.

Nose: Amazing aromas of Gallia melon, mango and papaya.

Palate: Hints of mixed exotic fruits, vanilla and maple syrup with just a trace of Bowmore peat smoke.

Finish: Surprisingly clean and incredibly long.