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Bowmore 15 Year Old Laimrig batch 1

Batch 4...

0 789

@hunggarReview by @hunggar

18th Jan 2015

0

Bowmore 15 Year Old Laimrig batch 1
  • Nose
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  • Finish
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  • Overall
    89

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Here’s the Laimrig. It’s a 15 year old Bowmore that’s spent some time in Oloroso sherry casks before being released at cask strength. As a limited annual release it tends to get snatched up pretty quickly, so if you like the Darkest but want some extra bite, keep your eyes open for this one.

Nose: Heavy wine influence. Big, sweet sherry jumps out first. Sultanas, earth, oak, leather, anise, nuts, wild berries, Christmas Cake, cinnamon, and blood oranges. Definitely on the sweet side.

Palate: This is not what I expected after that nose, this is much bigger. Sweet sherry, salted toffee, caramel, dark berries, cherries, raisins, figs, leather, cherry tobacco, vanilla.

Finish: Nice and long. Oak, spices, faint pine, salted toffee, oysters, sweet sherry, figs, dark chocolate, caramel, marshmallow, cinnamon, and cherries.

Thoughts: This is much quieter on the nose than it is in the mouth. When compared to its weaker brother, the Darkest, this is much more substantial. The added alcohol has brought out much more gravity and depth, and toned down some of the heavier oak notes. The marshmallow, sherry, and oyster notes add to the unique profile. If you like the Darkest, then this is a step up, albeit in a different direction.

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7 comments

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

Certainly one of Bowmore's better recent offerings. Thanks for the excellent review.

9 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Hunggar No ashes? For how long your bottle has been opened? I am asking because my bottle changed alot in the first month and stabilised after three months, but was at its peak after 3 weeks and up to 6 weeks. Of course, that is for somebody like me who simply adores the mix of smoke, ash and a big salty mineral. As I wrote before that is like sucking pebbles on the beach. So, for me, your very good review is spot on for a bottle that have air for more than 3 months and since you don't even memtionned smoke , I would go easily over 6 months. Am I right?

9 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

I have to say that I don't consider the Laimrig and the darkest to be related in any way except for age. The first is an excellent dram, the second I would decline if offered under any circumstances.

9 years ago 0

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

I had the Darkest about 4 or 5 years ago and it was pretty good. Now it is over $100 here and the last taste I had recently was nowhere near as good as the Laimrig.

9 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

At the "KGBO" the price was $4.10 (tax included) more for the Laimrig, when it was available, than the Darkest ((currently $95.95). Given the canyon-like gap between the 2 in quality, I can't understand the negligible difference in price.

The Laimrig is overpriced in Ontario, and I'd rather buy it elsewhere, but I wouldn't buy the Darkest at half the price.

9 years ago 0

@hunggar
hunggar commented

@Robert99, that's very perceptive of you. Yes, my bottle has been open for over three months. Roughly 4=5, I'd say. For me this isn't a particularly "mineraly" whisky, but I certainly see where you're coming from.

@Nozinan, given that price difference between the Darkest and Laimrig, there's no question that Laimrig is the better deal. I consider it better than the Darkest, but I don't hate the Darkest. I feel that more is gained than lost with the higher abv, but I do like the oakiness in the Darkest that doesn't come through as much in the Laimrig.

But overall the Laimrig is one of the best Bowmores I've had in recent memory.

9 years ago 0

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