Bowmore – The Devil’s Casks Batch III – 56.7% abv

Info: “Double the Devil”, so the label says. Matured in first fill sherry casks; both Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez. The third and final release in the series. NAS.
Colour: Dark and rusty, mahogany.
Nose: A fair alcohol nip if you nose too strongly at first. Behind that is a creamy, fruity and lightly smoked malt, backed up by some slightly sappy oaky notes. With some warmth and a little time you get a milk chocolate tone and the smoke notes start to come out more strongly… It’s more smoke than peat with a salty, ozoney, coastal air background, reminiscent of Bowmore’s island location.
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Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish – 53.9% abv

Info: This has been made up of different vintages from the 1990s (so around 15-25 years old), and then finished in Japanese Mizunara oak which is the first time that Mizunara casks have been exported from Japan. There’s 2000 bottles.
Colour: Fully golden, setting evening sun.
Nose: Straight away there’s a great waft of coastal peat that you’d come to expect from Bowmore, although it seems slightly more at the fore than on general releases. However behind it there’s all sorts of goodies, and a sweetness that reminds me of Love Heart sweets. There’s also definitely a sour touch there as well which balances out the sweetness.
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Bowmore Devil’s Cask Batch 2 – 56.3% abv

Info: Bowmore’s well priced, very limited, all sherry matured 10yo comes back for more… The round church in Bowmore kept the Devil from hiding and staying around the first time, but he’s back for a second go!

Colour: Dark burnt rust.

Nose: Argh wow, it’s easy to forget how good this whisky is. The nose is powerful and instantly takes me back to bonfire night around the fire watching fireworks as a kid. It’s smoky, woody, full of fire. Yet it’s sweet, it’s coastal in nature, tarry, malty and it’s spicy.

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