Bowmore 13 Year Old 1998 Asta Morris

While the Belgian independent botller Asta Morris just released their newest (a 9 Year Old Glenburgie, which we tasted earlier this week), let us go back to one of the very first bottlings Bert Bruyneel selected for his label. It is a 13 Year Old Bowmore from 1998.

The nose is powerful and quite peaty with loads of mineral elements (damp earth, pinewood, ferns). Not what I expected from a young Bowmore, but in the positive sense, I hasten to add. It also has some gyproc, which I usually associate with Springbank. Smoked bacon! Leaving it for five minutes makes it nice and fruity on citrus and liquorice. It also has a great salty tang, while some eucalyptus gives is a fresh lift. This is a complex little animal!

It is round and creamy on the palate. And immediately salty. The smoked bacon returns. BBQ on the beach. A good bitterness and spiciness. Ginger, pepper, liquorice. A little vanilla, a lot of honey. The fruit returns as well. Not as complex as the nose, but a great palate nonetheless.

The finish is long, bittersweet, smoky and fruity. Peat has the final say.

A surprising and eminently quaffable Bowmore. Around 60 EUR at the time, but hard to find these days. No surprise there.

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