Bowmore 1997 Aged 22 Years Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Infrequent Flyers #18 (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 58.5%           Age: 10 Years            Country: Scotland

Cask Number: 2688
Date of Distilling: 1997
Matured In: an ex Pedro Ximénez Sherry Hogshead
Un-Chillfiltered

Established in 2008 The Alistair Walker Company is based in Grangemouth in Central Scotland. Alistair has almost 20 years experience in the whisky industry and is not affiliated to any one distillery. Alistair’s career in the whisky industry began in January 1997, at Burn Stewart Distillers in a sales and marketing role for over six years. At that time Burn Stewart was the custodian of two single malt distilleries – Deanston and Tobermory. In October 2004, he joined The BenRiach Distillery Company, and remained with them for over twelve years, until the business was eventually sold. This was a new-start business, that had been set up in 2004 following the acquisition, by three entrepreneurs, of the BenRiach Distillery from Pernod Ricard. In addition to BenRiach, Alistair also had the good fortune to work with the GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh Distilleries, with BenRiach having acquired GlenDronach in 2008, and then Glenglassaugh in 2013. In 2018, Alistair found himself on hiatus, and contemplating what to do next. Keen to be his own boss and also wishing to remain in the whisky sector, he decided to venture into the exciting world of independent bottling. Making the move from distillery to independent bottler is very much a case of ‘gamekeeper turned poacher’. Fortunately, independent bottling is a vibrant category at present; as more and more whisky enthusiasts are seeking out single cask bottlings and whisky releases that are a little different, somewhat unique, and often from less familiar distilleries. The whiskies the are bottled under the brand name ‘Infrequent Flyers’. That name refers to the nature of many of the casks that are bottled – often whiskies from lesser-known distilleries that are of excellent quality, but have never been widely or consistently available. As such, many of the bottlings are of whiskies that you just don’t see so often – hence the name ‘Infrequent Flyers’.

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. Did you know? The Bowmore Distillery converted one of its warehouses into the villages swimming pool. They used the waste heat from the distillery to warm the waters, this allowed for a very pleasant swim.

This single cask single malt whisky was distilled at the Bowmore Distillery before being placed in an ex Pedro Ximénez Sherry Hogshead and left to mature for 22 years. It was bottled at 48.3% abv and marks bottling number 18 of the Infrequent Flyers series. Only 314 bottles were produced for worldwide distribution.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Dark cherries, toffee sweetness, coastal sea air, dark chocolate, espresso and dried apricots.

Palate: Smoked cured meats, sweet peat, dried orchard fruits, dark fruits of fig and plum, dark chocolate and smokey earthiness.

Finish: Smoked bacon, sea spray and brown sugar.