Original: $249.99
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$87.50The Story
18 years. Bowmore. No. 1 Vaults, Islay — the 18-year expression from Scotland's oldest licensed distillery on Islay, matured in part in the No. 1 Vaults — a warehouse that sits below sea level on the shores of Loch Indaal, where the salt air and coastal environment interact with the maturing spirit in a way that no other Scottish warehouse can replicate.
Bowmore was founded in 1779 and remains one of the most traditionally operated Islay distilleries — maintaining its own floor maltings and using Islay peat cut from the island's ancient bogs to dry the barley. The 18-year expression represents the most developed standard age statement in Bowmore's range below the 25 and 30 year expressions, allowing the peat smoke, sherry, and coastal salt to fully integrate over nearly two decades.
Bowmore 18 presents a different peat profile from Ardbeg or Laphroaig — less aggressive medicinal iodine, more balanced smoke with dark chocolate and dried fruit from the extended sherry cask influence.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Dark chocolate, ripe fruit, subtle peat smoke, sea salt
- Palate: Rich dried fruit, chocolate, balanced coastal smoke, vanilla
- Finish: Long, warming, smoke and dark fruit
Specs
- Distillery: Bowmore Distillery, Islay, Scotland (est. 1779)
- Style: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Age: 18 years
- Warehouse: No. 1 Vaults (below sea level)
- ABV: 43%
- Size: 750ml
Browse all Bowmore at Wooden Cork.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes the No. 1 Vaults significant? Located below sea level on the shores of Loch Indaal, the No. 1 Vaults expose maturing spirit to coastal conditions unlike any other Scottish warehouse — salt air penetrates the warehouse, influencing the spirit's development in ways that inland maturation cannot produce.
- How does Bowmore peat compare to other Islay malts? Bowmore is a more balanced expression of Islay peat — less aggressively medicinal than Ardbeg or Laphroaig, with the peat smoke supporting rather than dominating the sherry fruit and dark chocolate character.
Description
18 years. Bowmore. No. 1 Vaults, Islay — the 18-year expression from Scotland's oldest licensed distillery on Islay, matured in part in the No. 1 Vaults — a warehouse that sits below sea level on the shores of Loch Indaal, where the salt air and coastal environment interact with the maturing spirit in a way that no other Scottish warehouse can replicate.
Bowmore was founded in 1779 and remains one of the most traditionally operated Islay distilleries — maintaining its own floor maltings and using Islay peat cut from the island's ancient bogs to dry the barley. The 18-year expression represents the most developed standard age statement in Bowmore's range below the 25 and 30 year expressions, allowing the peat smoke, sherry, and coastal salt to fully integrate over nearly two decades.
Bowmore 18 presents a different peat profile from Ardbeg or Laphroaig — less aggressive medicinal iodine, more balanced smoke with dark chocolate and dried fruit from the extended sherry cask influence.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Dark chocolate, ripe fruit, subtle peat smoke, sea salt
- Palate: Rich dried fruit, chocolate, balanced coastal smoke, vanilla
- Finish: Long, warming, smoke and dark fruit
Specs
- Distillery: Bowmore Distillery, Islay, Scotland (est. 1779)
- Style: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Age: 18 years
- Warehouse: No. 1 Vaults (below sea level)
- ABV: 43%
- Size: 750ml
Browse all Bowmore at Wooden Cork.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes the No. 1 Vaults significant? Located below sea level on the shores of Loch Indaal, the No. 1 Vaults expose maturing spirit to coastal conditions unlike any other Scottish warehouse — salt air penetrates the warehouse, influencing the spirit's development in ways that inland maturation cannot produce.
- How does Bowmore peat compare to other Islay malts? Bowmore is a more balanced expression of Islay peat — less aggressively medicinal than Ardbeg or Laphroaig, with the peat smoke supporting rather than dominating the sherry fruit and dark chocolate character.
