Chieftain’s Choice Bowmore 27 Years Old is a single-time drainage from Bowmore – the oldest distillery on Islay (and perhaps throughout Scotland?). Whiskey was born in 1989 and has been up to 27 years at a Hogshead (number 1982 If you were wondering) until it was tapped in 2016. Only 170 bottles have survived the famous thirst of angels and they are tapped at 47.5% alcohol , without either cooling filtering or color addition.
Color: Golden.
Fragrance: The scent is characterized by Citrus and Maritime Notes.
Taste notes: The taste is full, with smoke and fine sweetness.
Serving suggestions: should be enjoyed clean, possibly. with a few drops of water.
Bowmore, Islays Grand Old Man, founded right back in 1779 by a HR. David Simpson. As is the case with most distilleries, Bowmore has changed hands several times during its history. Today it is Beam Suntory that can call itself the lucky owner.
Bowmore is known for a style that is characterized by maritime notes, tropical fruit and a peat that is slightly lighter than with distilleries such as ardbbeg and lagavulin, where they use a malt which is very strongly smoked. 30% of Bowmores malt requirement can be covered by their own Floor-Malts. It is unusual in a time when virtually every distillery in Scotland just buys everything they need from the big melteries. Both the malt as Bowmore itself stands for, and the one they buy is smoked to 25 ppm (parts per million) and the two mixed in a 1: 3 ratio, with 2 tons of Bowmore malt and 6 tons “buy-malt” before the mashing.
In the portfolio, among other things, the now legendary Black Bowmore, launched in 1993, and over time, countless fully-spun whiskies have left Vault No. 1, the famous Warehouse at the distillery where one wall accepts Loch Indaal’s cool wavebulp and the fades actually lie at a level below sea level.
Ian Macleod Distillers is a Scottish spirits company, started in 1933 and today one of the largest family-owned companies in the liquor industry. In addition to owning the distillery Glengoyne and Tamdhu as well as Edinburgh Gin, Ian Macleod also has long served as one of the most respected independent decants, with series such as Chieftain’s, Dun Bheagan, AS WE GET IT and Smokehead. For 80 years, Ian Macleod has weighted quality over quantity, and even appointed the best producers to work with, which has resulted in the enviable portfolio of whiskey, Gin and Rome brands, they have today.
In the autumn of 2017, whiskey nerds worldwide in the hands, when Ian Macleod announced that they were planning to reopen the pagan (and very missed) Lowland distillery, Rosebank.
