Bowmore 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Other reviews... This replaces the 17 year old in the standard Bowmore portfolio. (The 17 year old will now be Duty Free Only.) The difference is significant. This one is more sherried than the 17 year old, and it wears the sherry well. I know that many of you, like myself, adore the 17 year old. Indeed, I feel that the 17 year old displays the true essence of Bowmore. But this 18 year old integrates the sherry notes with the Bowmore signature to create a richly flavored Islay whisky experience. Thick toffee, ripe fruit, and tar-tinged smoke are accentuated by dark chocolate, cocoa powder, burnt raisin, dates, and sea salt. Long, entertaining finish. 43% Alc.Vol.
91 points. - maltadvocate.com, (2nd Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#2)

International Wine & Spirit Competition Gold award 2018

...Still the older livery. An arch-classic Bowmore. Some periods have been difficult (terrible in the early 2010s), but I noticed very recent batches were recovering fast. There’s also a newish ‘deep and complex’ version around, but that should not suggest the regular 18 is neither deep not complex. Well, I suppose, let’s see… Colour: deep gold. Nose: no f**** lavender that I can detect, those years were over when this was distilled. Phew! Smoked oranges, blond tobacco, dried kelp, blood oranges, a little olive brine, and just a little caramel ‘from the pan’. Mouth: do I notice some nods to Lagavulin 16? Same kind of orange-y, leathery, tobacco-ish, salty arrival, then many oranges. This is much peatier than that White Sands, much fuller, and much more assertive, as they say. Finish: rather long, full, on some kind of salty oranges. Comments: full form again, I do confirm. Well, only a personal opinion, as always. And adios lavender, and adios violets.
87 points - whiskyfun.com