Bowmore 16 Years Port Matured was a limited edition of 18,000 bottles Bowmore released a few years back and I kind of like it… and I kind of don’t. When it comes to port matured whisky there’s a danger of it being too sweet, too cloying and the port overwhelming the spirit. Which is why I feel like port pipes are better as a finishing tool than as an aging vessel.
In Bowmore’s Words: Bowmore 16 Years Port Matured
N/A (seriously Bowmore… cache your press releases)
Bowmore. 16 years old. Aged in port pipes. Delivered naturally… I think we’ve got it all covered. Now, let’s get into the Bowmore 16 Years Port Matured review!
Bowmore 16 Years Port Matured Info
Region: Islay, Scotland
Distiller: Bowmore
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Port Pipe
Age: 16 Years
ABV: 53.1
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller
Bowmore 16 Years Port Matured Review
EYE
Ruddy caramel
NOSE
Tart dark fruit, peat, candy sweetness, black tea and sour cherries. There’s a slight copper note that sits as a low constant.
PALATE
Grape heavy dark fruit, peat, malt, spice and a sharp alkaline / metallic note. The sweetness… oh the sweetness.
FINISH
Long -> Spice, peat, dark fruit and mineral water.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Ok balance, medium body and a soft relaxed feel.
OVERALL
Bowmore 16 Years Port Matured is better than many OB Bowmores I’ve had recently but don’t quite hit the spot. It doesn’t quite settle in to give me that sense of depth and balance that I like and a lot of that has to do with the sweetness. That dense port sweetness floods the senses and threatens to overwhelm at any second, which is the danger of port pipe aging.
I love that they went out on a limb and made the Bowmore 16 Years Port Matured, but at the end of the day it’s just a bit too heavy on the sweet notes for me. If you’re into the big sweet whiskies then you might fall in love with this one, so long as you enjoy peat as well.
SCORE: 83-86/100 (B, not consumed at home)