Well over a year after Bowmore announced a new Sherry Oak Cask Collection, Islay’s oldest licensed Scotch distillery is finally bringing the spicy, fruit-forward single malt whiskies stateside—two of which are available right now to purchase, perhaps as a holiday gift for a fine spirits collector.
“We’re excited to share this new collection with our fans in the US, where appreciation for barrel aging, and the whisky finesse they’ve come to expect, is at an all-time high,” said Simon Brooking, national ambassador of Scotch at Suntory Global Spirits. “The expressions brilliantly showcase the exceptional craft of Bowmore, under the leadership of Master Blender Dr. Calum Fraser, with four age statements that provide a master class in the use of sherry finishing in whisky production.”
While they were all aged in some combination Sherry casks, each maturation differs in duration and the types of wood used. The 12-year-old bottle started in European oak Oloroso sherry casks and American oak ex-bourbon barrels before finishing in European oak Oloroso sherry-seasoned casks. Tasting notes describe how “sweet spice and nuttiness come to the fore, while smoldering smokiness blends harmoniously with notes of fruit and woodiness from the Sherry casks.”
The 15-year-old expression “captures the elegance of Bowmore’s single malt, adding a layer of sweetness from the selective maturation in first-fill Oloroso casks.” It was matured for 15 years in European oak Oloroso sherry casks and American oak ex-bourbon barrels, then finished in European oak Oloroso sherry seasoned casks. Expect “natural smoke and minerality alongside a woodier, sweeter and fruitier finish.”
The 18-year-old spent its life in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and European oak Oloroso sherry casks before finishing in Pedro Ximénez casks, which imparted a “fresh sweetness of bright fruit notes” that’s balanced with smokiness. The 21-year-old followed a similar course, but spent three extra years in the American oak to achieve a “multi-layered character.
All bottles are marked with a black label, harking to the sought-after “Black Bowmore” that was first poured into casks in 1964 and received five releases in ever scarcer quantities from the 1990s to the 2010s
The 12-year-old (40 percent ABV) and 15-year-old (43 percent ABV) bottles are available now for $90 and $160. The 18-year-old (43 percent ABV) and 21-year-old (47 percent ABV) will be available ahead of Valentine’s Day 2026.
