Bowmore 1996 Aged 23 Years Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Càrn Mòr Celebration of The Cask (700ml)

Volume: 700 ml           ABV: 53.4%           Age: 23 Years Old           Country: Scotland

Cask Number: 901278
Date of Distilling: 09/12/1996
Date of Bottling: 07/09/2020
Matured In: An Ex PX Sherry Butt

The Bowmore Distillery was founded in 1779 and is positioned on the beautiful rugged shores of Loch Indaal in the town of Bowmore. The distillery is owned by the new partnership of Beam Suntory and produces over 2 million litres of spirit each year. This Islay distillery, still to this day, retains the traditional floor method of malting barley allowing the distillery to offer a very unique product. Nowadays most distilleries use more modern efficient methods to malt barley using mechanical equipment with expert ‘maltsters’. Bowmore single malt is loved all over the world due to a very special peaty salty flavour is has on the palate. The whiskies they produce are of great charm and perhaps not as well noticed as some other whiskies on the island but they have plenty of peat smoke and a refreshing finish. The distillery uses cloudy wort and a short fermentation period of just 48 hours.

Càrn Mòr is an independent bottling label produced by the family owned and operated Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers. Morrisons own the Aberargie distillery in Perth, Scotland which is now 3 years old (January 2021). The company was originally started by an ex employee of the independent bottling company Scottish Liqueur Centre when in 2008 he gathered a group of whisky enthusiasts and began bottling and selling whisky. The Gaelic name Càrn Mòr is given to the ninth highest mountain in Scotland which sits on the Northwest Highlands. The English translation is Great Peak.

Released as part of the Celebration of the Cask range this Bowmore was distilled in December 1996 and sat maturing in one ex PX Sherry Butt for 23 years. It was bottled by Càrn Mòr in September 2020 with only 471 bottles being produced at an abv of 53.4%.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Stewed strawberries and cherries react amazingly with sweet rhubarb and peppery spice. There’s some beautifully balanced smokey notes and balanced oak but it’s the Sherry notes that distinguish this whisky amongst all others. Raisins, sultanas, figs, plums, muscatels, dates, sour cherries and cranberries. Wow!

Palate: Damson jam, stewed dark fruits, balanced peat smoke with toasted oak and oily fruitiness.

Finish: Campfire ash, dried red fruits and bold oak with some peppery spice.