Bowmore 18 Year Old is the mature flagship of the core Bowmore range produced at Scotlands oldest licensed distillery on Islay, founded in 1779, and matured in part in the No. 1 Vaults, a warehouse that sits below sea level on the shores of Loch Indaal where the coastal environment interacts with the aging spirit in a way no inland Scottish warehouse can replicate.

Bowmore maintains its own floor maltings and uses Islay peat cut from the islands ancient bogs to dry the barley one of the few Islay distilleries still doing this work on-site. At 18 years, the peat smoke, sherry cask dried fruit, and coastal salt have had enough time to fully integrate, producing a single malt that represents a distinctly different Islay peat profile from Ardbeg or Laphroaig: less aggressively medicinal and iodine-forward, more balanced between smoke and rich dark chocolate and dried fruit from the extended sherry oak influence. Browse the full Bowmore collection at Wooden Cork.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Dark chocolate, ripe stone fruit, subtle coastal peat smoke, sea salt, and vanilla
• Palate: Rich and rounded dried fruit, dark chocolate, balanced coastal smoke, and warm vanilla
• Finish: Long and warming with lingering smoke, dark fruit, and a clean coastal salt note

Specs

• Distillery: Bowmore, Bowmore, Islay (est. 1779)
• Region: Islay, Scotland
• Age Statement: 18 Years
• Warehouse: No. 1 Vaults (below sea level, Loch Indaal)
• ABV: 43%
• Size: 750ml

Explore the full Scotch whisky collection at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the No. 1 Vaults significant?

Located below sea level on the shores of Loch Indaal, the No. 1 Vaults expose maturing spirit to coastal conditions unlike any other Scottish warehouse salt air penetrates the warehouse, influencing the spirits development in ways that inland maturation cannot produce.

How does Bowmore peat compare to other Islay malts?

Bowmore is a more balanced expression of Islay peat less aggressively medicinal than Ardbeg or Laphroaig, with the peat smoke supporting rather than dominating the sherry fruit and dark chocolate character at 18 years.

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