Bowmore Distillery, located on the rugged island of Islay, has unveiled a new packaging design for the newly released Sherry Oak Cask Collection and Appellations range.
The Packaging Redesign
As the scotch whisky market continues to premiumize, Bowmore has revealed a new packaging design aimed at reinforcing the premium nature and collectability of the distillery’s single malt scotch whiskies.
As such, the new packaging for Bowmore shifts away from the familiar, predominantly white packaging, and moves towards a darker, sumptuous, and more luxurious feel. The new black packaging pays tribute to one of Bowmore’s most famous expressions: The Black Bowmore 1964.
The new bottles also feature a smooth, tapered piece of glasswork that extends towards the neck of the bottle. This design feature is reminiscent of the smooth whisky inside the bottle. Additionally, delicate linework on the label aptly reflects the grain of the sherry oak casks in which the whiskies are matured, and emulate the multi-layered and complex nature of Bowmore whisky.
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Kirtseen Beeston, Bowmore’s Marketing Director, commented: “ “We have a duty of care as custodians of this incredible distillery to best reflect and capture the true essence of Bowmore, out of both respect to all that has been achieved so far but equally out of a desire to ensure we honour the spirit as we know it today.
“As such, we made the decision to evolve the world that surrounds the brand, across brand creative, experience, and innovation. This is exemplified by the upcoming launch of two new whisky ranges: Sherry Oak Cask and Bowmore Appellations which, along with the existing range of Bowmore whiskies, will be offered to our customers and consumers in a new brand livery.
“As we look to the future, we aim to redefine what it means to enjoy a glass of Bowmore, transforming each moment into a captivating experience.”
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The Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask Collection
The redesign of the packaging is set to be rolled out across Bowmore’s entire range in 2025. For now, the distillery has unveiled eight new whiskies that display the new packaging, divided into two collections.
The first collection is the Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask Collection. Comprised of four age-statement scotch whiskies (12, 15, 18, and 21 years old), the Sherry Oak Cask Collection displays European oak sherry cask maturation, something that is not often associated with the starkly peaty whiskies that come from Islay.
Each whisky is bottled at 43% ABV. They are as follows (tasting notes from the Bowmore website):
- Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask 12 Year Old, £59 – “Matured in hand-selected Oloroso sherry and ex-bourbon casks with an Oloroso sherry cask finish.” “Sweet spice and nuttiness come to the fore, while smouldering smokiness blends harmoniously with notes of fruit and woodiness that Sherry casks bring.”
- Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask 15 Year Old, £116 – “Matured in hand-selected Oloroso sherry and ex-bourbon casks with an Oloroso sherry cask finish.” “Confidently rich, with natural smoke, and minerality alongside a woodier, sweeter, and fruitier finish.”
- Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask 18 Year Old, £198 – “Aged in hand-selected ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, with a Pedro Ximenez cask finish.” “Fresh sweetness of bright fruit notes without overpowering the smouldering smoke that transports you to our dramatically beautiful island’s serenity.”
- Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask 21 Year Old, £405 – “Aged in hand-selected ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, with a first-fill Pedro Ximenez finish.” “Intensity and complexity in complete harmony.”
The Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask Collection will be available via specialist retailers in cities across the world starting September 2024, as well as from the distillery on Islay.
The Bowmore Appellations
The second new collection is the Appellation Collection, a travel retail exclusive. Each whisky was finished in specially selected casks from Burgundy, Bordeaux, and the Douro Valley. The whiskies celebrate the diverse nature of Europe’s wine regions and terroirs.
This collection comprises:
- Bowmore Appellations 14 Year Old, $67 – Matured in American oak ex-bourbon and finished in Bordeaux barriques. “Vibrant with smoke and orchard fruit aromas […] berry sweet finish.”
- Bowmore Appellations 16 Year Old, $108 – Matured in ex-bourbon and European oak sherry casks. Finished in ruby port casks from the Douro Valley. “Rich and complex […] mature autumnal ripeness and smoke.”
- Bowmore Appellations 19 Year Old, $200 – Matured in ex-bourbon and finished in Pinot Noir casks from Burgundy. “Subtle smokiness and a well-rounded character, [and] complex toasted caramlised flavour.”
- Bowmore Appellations 22 Year Old, $500 – Finished in Sauternes casks. Peat smoke, lingering sweetness.
The Appellations will be available in selected travel-retail airports, including Heathrow, from October 2024. The whiskies will also be available directly from the distillery.
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