Bowmore, Scotland’s first Islay distillery, is located on the shores of Lochindaal, a seaside loch that opens into the icy Atlantic Ocean. Since its inception in 1779, Bowmore whiskies have represented the very essence of Islay—salt spray, smoky peat, tarry rope, and, always, the sea. Throughout its 245-year history, Bowmore’s whiskies have consistently won awards, leading the industry with innovation that concurrently pays homage to the distillery’s great heritage.

Bowmore has been among my favorite Scotch producers, harkening back to when I started my Scotch whisky journey 30-plus years ago. Its Darkest and Mariner are among my all-time favorites and propelled Islay whiskies to my “most-favored” status. So, when they offered me a sample of the Bowmore 18-year-old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, I jumped at the chance and could not be happier!

The whisky pours a deep golden amber into my trusty Glencairn nosing glass. It greeted me immediately with a wall of Islay characteristics: soft but pungent peat, polished leather, brine, and weathered rope. However, the sweet notes, including toffee, vanilla, candied orange, and dark chocolate, offset those more phenolic notes. The mouthfeel starts out full-bodied and slightly hot. The alcohol sting, which is greater than its 43% ABV would indicate, is well controlled with the addition of a little quality water. The initial flavors are quite different from the aromas, with the brine and sea-borne flavors most prominent. The sweeter components noted in the initial nose, particularly the citrus, become more notable in the mid-swallow. Toffee, toasted almond, and oak notes, followed by marzipan, vanilla chew, tea biscuit, and bitter cocoa, hit towards the end.

The finish is long and warm, with the peat and leather notes resurging. At the end, smoke, tar, and more brine last far into the afterglow. Bowmore 18 Islay Scotch Whisky is a complex dram characterized by a conundrum—the aromas hint towards a much sweeter dram than the flavors prove. It’s clearly an Isaly’s Islay, with the sea omnipresent.