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Bowmore 19 Year Old French Oak Barrique

$219
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OVERALL
RATING

10

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

Ed Leigh from Top Whiskies samples and reviews the Bowmore 19 Year Old French Oak Barrique. Should you buy it?
  • Ed Leigh is the founder of TopWhiskies.com and an expert in independent bottlers.
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Tasting Notes:

About:

A 19 year old single malt scotch whisky from Bowmore, aged in first fill Château Lagrange French oak barriques. Bottled natural colour and without chill filtration at 48.9%. This is a limited edition release with an outturn of 4,500 bottles, which are priced around GBP 175 (USD 219).


Appearance:
Deep amber with a red hue. Viscous in glass with tight beading.
Nose:
Prominent peat brings earthy smoke. Plenty of red fruit and berries. Dark chocolate and dried orange. Leather heavy with wax polish. Heather flowers, cinnamon and black pepper.
Palate:
Full mouthfeel. Immediate waves of juicy berries with redcurrants, blackcurrants, and raisins. More dark fruit follows with red plums, ripe figs and sticky dates. The earthy peat is there but in a warm, embracing way. Alcohol is well integrated adding to the body, without any burn.
Finish:
Medium to long finish. Forest honey sweetness, malt character, more red fruit, and fading smoke.
Comments:
This was a real treat. I loved the interplay of the big red fruit notes with the warm hugging peat. Would recommend.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

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.

Ed Leigh

Ed Leigh is a recognized authority on independent bottlers and artisan Scotch whisky. In 2019, he founded TopWhiskies.com, a specialist retailer dedicated to promoting these often family-run businesses and showcasing their small-batch releases. Based in London, Ed holds certifications in both wine and spirits from The Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

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