Taster

Nose: Sweet barley and sweet apricot fruit. Even the peat smoke is sweet! Quite phenolic and slightly medicinal with peat, light tar, malt and coffee. A light chlorinated note freshens.

Palate: Opens with the sweet barley, followed by malt, coffee and a touch of tar. The herbal peat builds and leads into a roasted meat and charcoal middle.

Finish: Finally the salt arrives and clings to the inside of the mouth, whilst the herbal peat notes linger and are joined by a light violety note.

Comment: An excellent Bowmore. The finish lasts for minutes.

Score: 8.6

Taster

Nose: Gammon with a crust of maple syrup and golden castor sugar. A gentle smoke of lapsang souchong tea with a slice of lemon. Warm sand and driftwood emerge with water.

Palate: Burning heathery peat and more of the lapsang souchong tea - it made me think of a brew up on a West Coast beach. Water softens the smoke and brought out warm wooden floor boards.

Finish: Robust and bracing with a dry heat and rolling smoke.

Comment: Cracking. Takes you to Islay in a heartbeat.

Score: 8.6