Tasting one Bowmore

I remember trying the Mariner from a miniature bottle maybe 5 or 6 years back, and I thought it was pretty good, though it sure was no winner at that point. Lets see what the 2012 version of the same whisky has to offer.


















Bowmore 15yo 43% OB Mariner

I think they released some 40%abv standards of this one. And the last one I tried had a light golden color. This one has a more amber brown-ish hue. The name suggests a traditional Islay character of coastal and maritime notes. Lets see for myself. It smells peat smoke, iodine, caramel, bourbon, coal, sugary, very clean, orangey, dried bananas, figs. The taste is sweet, peaty, red apples, peaches, burnt, citrus, lemon, melon. Not that coastal, but a certain peatiness that really makes for a great whisky. I do not know why they'd wanna brand a taste to look for in their whiskies, and I'll probably ever know, but I think the general perception of this whisky would be better if they didn't.

Good Islay whisky, but don't expect a real "Mariner" or coastal Islayer: 6



Next tasting: Closed Distillery#1 (which?)