Bowmore Gold 44 Years Old 42.4% 1964

Distileerderij	Bowmore
Bottelaar	OB
Serie
Gebotteld voor	X
Gedistilleerd op	05.11.1964
Gebotteld	2009
Land	Schotland
Streek	Islay
Leeftijd	44
Cask Type
Vatnummer	X
Alcohol percentage	42.4
Inhoud	0,70
Conditie	In originele houten kist
Etiket	Perfect
Voorraad	0

Professionele reviews

Serge Valentin (94)

From three bourbon and one oloroso casks, so a combination of 'white' and 'black' Bowmores 1964. For the record, we've got the 'White' at WF 95 and the last 'Black' at WF 91. The first 'Black' was more like WF 96. But who counts? Who needs scores? This drop too stems from the Golden Promise Bar in Paris, anyone should first go there, and only then go see the Tour Eiffel. Salvatore is a Tour Eiffel of whisky anyway. Colour: it is golden indeed. Nose: this time it is an immediate old Bowmore, pure liquid fruit salad, with only drops of clover honey (perhaps) and, maybe, tiny whiffs of summer truffle (tuber aestivum, the light ones, I for one like those a lot). As for the fruits, most are tropical (mangos etc.) but I do find wee bits of granny smith and other green apples. All in all, a flabbergastingly fresh nose, a little summer dress in your glass, as they say. I mean, you see what I mean. Stunning citrusy freshness. Mouth: indeed, what an incredible freshness at forty-four. It's not that tropical this time, I'm finding several 'western' orchard fruits as well, chiefly apples indeed, but also plums, sloes, gooseberries… And then indeed, mangos, passion fruits, grapefruits, a touch of guava, honey… But this Bowmore transcends all that; just like the 1967, it would indeed transcend any human-made transcription. And an A.I., you're asking? Well an A.I. would claim this is olive oil. Or, there, mango juice. Finish: just prolonging the fruity thrills, in perhaps a slightly more liqueury manner. Extraordinary. Some peelings in the aftertaste, that's the oak. Comments: not really needed. I've long wanted to add the Gold to our index, well that's done, I'm going..

BOW (96)

Tasting Notes by John Hansell (Malt Advocate)


Deep gold color. Surprisingly lively for its age on the nose. A complex array of fruit (tangerine, sultana, pink grapefruit, papaya and the general overall citrus DNA that you’ll find in old Bowmores), with balancing notes of honey and vanilla. A hint of damp smoke and coconut.

Just like with Black Bowmore, this is a texturally soothing whisky on the palate, which continues to evolve in waves—first the sweet honey, coating vanilla and lively fruit, then turning quite visceral, with juicy oak, damp earth, deep peat smoke, and charcoal, followed by another wave of fruit (this time dried fruit), finishing off with subtle charred oak and roasted nuts. This whisky is better than White Bowmore and it falls just short of Black Bowmore (which I rated 97) because it’s just a bit softer, less vibrant on the palate.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 96/100

Angus McRaild (94)

I remember when this series (along with the White and Black versions) was initially released and a seemingly vast number of 10cl trade sample bottles were sloshing about various branches of Oddbins, the briefcases of brand reps, beneath festival stand tables etc. I agree, such a time feels almost like pre-history nowadays. I would love to see someone at Beam Suntory try to suggest such a move today. Colour: suitably deep gold. Nose: what's so fun about going to this from the 1967 is seeing the immediate impact of extra decades of ageing. Here it delivers far more honeys, waxes and resins up front, but also adds a more syrupy profile to the fruits. Everything is still superbly exotic but more concentrated and even rather oily. Tangerines, mango, guava and grapefruit but all preserved, crystallised or pulped! The collected gunge and mush of a tropical fruit salad - spiked with a shot of very old yellow Chartreuse! Frankly, it's all rather outrageous and at this stage we would traditionally call the anti-maltoporn brigade. Mouth: one of those whiskies that manages to wear its age and wood with utter class! Precious and exotic hardwood resins, sandalwood, gorse flower and putty along with linseed oils, waxes, hessian and an intricate display of preserved fruits. Not only exotic but also touches of red apple, lime and peach in syrup. That's without even mentioning all the herbs and medicines that also appear. What is just so overwhelming is the sheer, unashamed juiciness of it all. It is (almost) literally like drinking some kind of outrageous pina colada. Finish: lengthy and just fruits piled upon fruits. Interlaced with honeys, resins, herbal medicines and the most gloriously warming and exotic of aftertastes. Comments: it is really extremely silly whisky, when you think about. An outrageous flavour profile that leaves you scratching you head and desiring only one or two IBCs more of this deliriously beautiful fruit juice.