Review: Bowmore 19 Year Old French Oak Barrique (Spoiler – It’s Amazing)

Should You Buy Bowmore 19 Year Old French Oak Barrique?

If you’re into peat and fun cask finishes then this certainly seems like the type of whisky for you. A limited-release, higher strength Bowmore is some of the best whisky in the world, that is the opinion of many people – but sadly enough of it isn’t released. Having something at nearly two decades old with this interesting barrique cask finish hasn’t hindered the delicacy of smoke that Bowmore has. It has never been a peat bomb, but the balance of its peat smoke with cask influences has always won many people over, bottle that at higher strength and you’re in for a good time.

What Makes Bowmore 19 Year Old Unique?

Higher strength offerings from Bowmore were run of the mill about a decade ago, The Vaults Series being the last well-known one. When they choose to bottle anything above 40/43% ABV – you are treated to such a wonderful array of flavors and styles. This distillery can be the best in the world if it wants to be. Along with the higher strength, the Bowmore 19 Year Old has a French oak influence, the barrels being first-fill and having previously held Chateau Lagrange red wine. Those casks have imparted this wonderfully soft, red fruit aroma to a salty, smoky whisky – balancing everything in harmony and providing some of the ex-bourbon casks used before the finishing to shine with their caramel notes. It sounds stunning.

What Is A Barrique?

Barrique is simply the French word for barrel, but within the world of winemaking, it typically refers to standardized shape and size. A barrique will typically hold 225 liters, making it a little smaller than a standard American oak cask which is typically at 250 liters. A smaller surface area, even if only subtly smaller will aid the liquid in having more wood contact over any amount of time in the cask.