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Bowmore 15 Year Old Laimrig batch 1

Holy Smoke

0 1390

@Robert99Review by @Robert99

11th Oct 2014

0

  • Nose
    21
  • Taste
    22
  • Finish
    24
  • Balance
    23
  • Overall
    90

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

This is a review of bottle 17734 of 18000. It has been open for a month and is 85% full. I am reviewing this bottle now because in the first month it was all over the place. I make a rule for myself by note judging a whisky on the first drink of the bottle but with this one my hope went skyrocketting because the first drink taste like an incredible vating of Glenfarclas and Islay. The second was a terrible and big ashtray, the word balance was not even conceivable. The third, a little ashtray and then it was like sucking pebbles. And now the fourth one. It seems it has arrived!

The nose. First a nice cigar smoke with sherry notes and minerals. Swirl it and you have redberries and vanilla. Let it rest and you get dattes figs and a little of chocolate. At the end some hay that I don't like here.

Palate. First a burst of white pepper and then a noble wood, the smoke and the fruits (redberries and dattes). Alot more sweet than expected. All is very much integrated making difficult to identify each part. It is very smooth. Only the final heat on the gums gives away the ABV, but it is going down without the slightest burn.

The finish is the opposite of edgy; I would say surrounding you like a cocoon. The fruits are coming back with nice campfire ashes as background. It is on the light side but quite long at the same time. Beautifull.

Conclusion. I prefer the nose right after the pour or after alot of air, not quite in the middle where the hay takes over, but the palate is better with some air. It is strange to say for a scotch at 53.7% ABV, but I would say it's a comforting dram for the winter next to the chemney fire. It is not a Wowing (I am just having fun with this word) whisky, it is a soothing one, so I will not say cheers to you, I will just stay quiet and drink...

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13 comments

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

This sounds like this year's release. Have you had a chance to compare it to last year's? I still working on that bottle and I quite like it.

9 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Nozinan It is last year bottle since I have it for close to a year. Do you know if therés a way to identify the batch, I can't find it.

9 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Nozinzn In fact it may be a 2012 since the LCBO sometime has an inventory for quite a long time. But I was told that it is less and less the case. I also want to add about the Laimrig that if you really leave your glass for say an hour the hay is more present at the end of the palate but as part of a nice brown roasted coffee with a hint of chocolate. Nice.

9 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@Robert99 I'm pretty sure this is the 2014 release. The only way I can tell (after examining the bottle for batch numbers, codes, etc..., is the total number of bottles and the ABV. I bought my bottle with the same ABV this year when it was first released by LCBO earlier this year, after having tried the one my brother in law picked up for me last summer.

In terms of your comments regarding leaving it to open, that just makes me look forward to opening that bottle....

9 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Nozinan On whiskybase they refered at batch 2 of 2011 being at 54.4 ABV and at batch 3 of 2012 being at 53.7ABV. On many sites, you will find this year release being at 54.1 ABV. All the reviews I find in 2013 were about the 2012 release. So if Bowmore release the Laimrig in fall maybe what they call this year release is the 2013. To be even more confused, the Laimrig seems to be release for the first time in 2009 for the Sweedish market and it seems there has been some special releases for the Feist Isle annual festival. In any case, I feel I have a 2012 what ever batch number you call it. It is 53.7 ABV and it's in the right time frame.

9 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

I think the important thing, at least to me, is that you are reviewing a bottle from the same batch that I have waiting to be opened, and you like it....which can only mean good things to come...

9 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Nozinan We are having fun talking about those whiskies, but you are right. At the end, the important thing is that we enjoy a nice pour, we shut up (I am allowed to say it, I am French after all) and we drink it! Cheers!

9 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@Robert99, May je ne sais pas si je suis completement d'accord. The whole poitn of Connosr is not to shut up...especially if we like our dram.

Plus, I learn through back and forth discussion, so thi is a good way for me to expand my knowledge. And since i can't drink enough to taste everything personally, i can live vicariously...

9 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

ohhh, almost forgot...."sante" (damn English keyboad has no accents...)

9 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Nozinan I do agree that it is fun as well to speak or mind on Connosr. Your answer makes me smile; I enjoyed it. I will never say to any member to shut up, except to myself. My point was first that we should keep our focus on the dram and on the pleasure it provides us and,second, that we shouldn't take ourselves to seriously. And if we can have a little fun with or comments why not? Like you, I am learning a ton on whisky and life with those discussions and I am too tasting by "procuration", so take a good one for me tonight! Santé! (I have accent on my Ipad but the autocorrect is hell when you are using French and English)

9 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Nozinan the pebbles are coming back but in a wonderful way. I had a Ardbeg 10 a few years back, I think it was the 2011, that has this pebbles taste with a dryness and some smoke and that was the reason I liked it so much. Think at this Bowmore as a Sherry version of the same pebbles and smoke. I know that the latest release of Ardbeg 10 were not as great, I hope the next time I will grab a Bowmore Laimrig it will be as good as this one! I should have rate this higher!

9 years ago 0

@vanPelt
vanPelt commented

Nice review! Very much matches my own impressions (same batch).

9 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

It looks like Laimrig may be returning to the LCBO, but at a 25% markup from a couple of years ago when it was last available. And shame on me that I'm actually considering buying some.

7 years ago 0

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