Tempest was a series of limited release / small batch 10-year old Bowmores, all matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks and bottled at cask strength, with one batch of around 12,000 bottles released per year. Batch 1 debuted back in 2009, and the Batch 6 release that I'm reviewing today was the last of the line in 2015. This series was named "Dorus Mor" in the United States due to a trademark issue, meaning something along the lines of "wild ocean". On face value it may sound like these bottlings were a bourbon cask-matured version of the much-lauded Devils Cask series that were matured in sherry casks, but there were only three batches released of that one, and those three batches were around half the size of the Tempest batches, meaning that the Tempest was far easier to find, and was more affordable and far less collectible. Plus the first 'Devils' debuted in 2013, so they're not closely related, although the specifications are similar.
Nowadays it's pretty much impossible to find cask strength Bowmore official bottlings, particularly with an age statement, unless you happen to be on Islay during the Feis Ile (or unless you buy a flipped bottle at auction a few days later). In fact you'll be hard-pressed to find an official Bowmore with an ABV higher than 43%, with the NAS 'Vault Edition' series being pretty much the only option at present. I've tried the first release in that series, and it was enjoyable, but with an asking price of $220 in Australia it 's roughly twice the price of the last of the Tempests, which is a bit nasty! That said, there is a 'Vintner's Trilogy' series coming which will consist of three age-stated expressions finished in various wine casks, but - if they get to Australia - I'd say we can expect them to be rather expensive as well. That lack of higher strength available Bowmores is a real shame, because they can be delicious, particularly thanks to the lack of chill filtration. Aside from showing a more assertive side to the distillery, they can also showcase some of the bright tropical fruit character that older Bowmore bottlings were known for, particularly when they were matured in ex-bourbon casks.
Which brings us to the whisky at hand. Bowmore Tempest, Batch 6, which was released in 2015. This is a 10-year old single malt that was matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks before being bottled at a cask strength of 54.9%. Unlike the vast majority of Bowmore's official bottlings it's non-chill filtered and naturally coloured, so this is pretty much as natural as the distillery's bottlings get. This one was a real bargain when it was last released in Australia, with a certain large retailer selling it for around $95 AUD, which is only a few dollars above what the regular 12-year old at 40% ABV goes for on this continent. For a limited release, cask strength Islay malt with an age statement, that is an absolute steal. In fact I suspect that either that large retailer made an error with their pricing, or they got a bargain price from their source, whoever it was. That deal is now long gone of course, but a couple of smaller online retailers still have some stock at higher prices. Seeing that this Tempest was matured in all first-fill casks, and that Bowmore is only peated to around 25 ppm, we shouldn't expect a big peat monster here, but we can expect a little more Islay character than the 'core range' offers. It's tasting time!
Bowmore Tempest, 10 Year Old, 54.9%. Islay, Scotland.
Matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, bottled at cask strength. Batch 6 released 2015, 12,000 bottles. Non-chill filtered, natural colour.
Colour: Light-medium gold.
Nose: Soft and a little closed initially, with semi-dried pineapple, coal dust, spicy wood embers and candied grapefruit. Once it opens up more there's rich vanilla fudge, mango skins, some lemon and a little floral sweetness. Further on there's a nice wet stone minerality and some damp malted barley.
Texture: Medium weight, builds slowly, warming but no heat.
Taste: Soft on entry, with loads of dried citrus - grapefruit and lemon, and a soft minerality with damp rocks and sea spray. Some more coal dust / chimney soot and more vanilla fudge.
Finish: Short-medium length. More dried citrus and chimney soot, and a little astringent and drying. Then dried pineapple again, white pepper, and vanilla sponge cake with lemon icing.
Score: 3.5 out of 5.
Notes: It may not be massively complex, and it doesn't have the immediate intensity of most 10-year old cask strength Islays, but it's a very enjoyable dram regardless with plenty of character. In fact I can comfortably say it's the best bourbon cask-only Bowmore that I've tasted to date. That tropical fruit that I mentioned earlier is there, as is the citrus that I've found in pretty much all of the better Bowmores. The chimney soot / coal dust note is excellent too, which might have something to do with the distillery using powdered peat for their floor-malted barley (although that only makes up a small part of their malt requirements), but I could be wrong there. In any case it works very well in this dram, and this one was an absolute bargain at the last price that that large retailer had it going for. If you managed to get one back then, that was definitely a win for you!
If you've been hearing good things about Bowmore but the distillery has never quite clicked for you, I suggest you get your hands on a cask strength version without the chill filtration, and preferably from first-fill casks. I'm guessing it'll all make more sense to you after that!
Cheers!
Which brings us to the whisky at hand. Bowmore Tempest, Batch 6, which was released in 2015. This is a 10-year old single malt that was matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks before being bottled at a cask strength of 54.9%. Unlike the vast majority of Bowmore's official bottlings it's non-chill filtered and naturally coloured, so this is pretty much as natural as the distillery's bottlings get. This one was a real bargain when it was last released in Australia, with a certain large retailer selling it for around $95 AUD, which is only a few dollars above what the regular 12-year old at 40% ABV goes for on this continent. For a limited release, cask strength Islay malt with an age statement, that is an absolute steal. In fact I suspect that either that large retailer made an error with their pricing, or they got a bargain price from their source, whoever it was. That deal is now long gone of course, but a couple of smaller online retailers still have some stock at higher prices. Seeing that this Tempest was matured in all first-fill casks, and that Bowmore is only peated to around 25 ppm, we shouldn't expect a big peat monster here, but we can expect a little more Islay character than the 'core range' offers. It's tasting time!
Matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, bottled at cask strength. Batch 6 released 2015, 12,000 bottles. Non-chill filtered, natural colour.
Colour: Light-medium gold.
Nose: Soft and a little closed initially, with semi-dried pineapple, coal dust, spicy wood embers and candied grapefruit. Once it opens up more there's rich vanilla fudge, mango skins, some lemon and a little floral sweetness. Further on there's a nice wet stone minerality and some damp malted barley.
Texture: Medium weight, builds slowly, warming but no heat.
Taste: Soft on entry, with loads of dried citrus - grapefruit and lemon, and a soft minerality with damp rocks and sea spray. Some more coal dust / chimney soot and more vanilla fudge.
Finish: Short-medium length. More dried citrus and chimney soot, and a little astringent and drying. Then dried pineapple again, white pepper, and vanilla sponge cake with lemon icing.
Score: 3.5 out of 5.
Notes: It may not be massively complex, and it doesn't have the immediate intensity of most 10-year old cask strength Islays, but it's a very enjoyable dram regardless with plenty of character. In fact I can comfortably say it's the best bourbon cask-only Bowmore that I've tasted to date. That tropical fruit that I mentioned earlier is there, as is the citrus that I've found in pretty much all of the better Bowmores. The chimney soot / coal dust note is excellent too, which might have something to do with the distillery using powdered peat for their floor-malted barley (although that only makes up a small part of their malt requirements), but I could be wrong there. In any case it works very well in this dram, and this one was an absolute bargain at the last price that that large retailer had it going for. If you managed to get one back then, that was definitely a win for you!
If you've been hearing good things about Bowmore but the distillery has never quite clicked for you, I suggest you get your hands on a cask strength version without the chill filtration, and preferably from first-fill casks. I'm guessing it'll all make more sense to you after that!
Cheers!
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