BOWMORE 1966 50 YEAR OLD
When one sips a single malt Scotch that’s 50 or more years old, a common immediate reaction can be “Wow, I can’t believe I tried that” rather than, “My goodness, that tastes superb!” With Bowmore‘s latest, the 50 Years Old from 1966—a new addition, and the rarest, to their Vault Legends Collection—it is actually and uncommonly both. An amazing whiskey not only raised by Eddie MacAffer himself, but also raised by all the passionate production teams.
- Significant milestones of the Bowmore Distillery
1966, its date of distillation, happens to be the same year that Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky was first officially bottled and when iconic Bowmore Distillery Manager Eddie MacAffer joined the company. He enjoyed a 50-year term in the profession and retired in 2016.
Current distillery manager David Turner said: “I am honored to celebrate such a pivotal year in Bowmore’s history and launch this incredible whisky, which was not only nurtured by Eddie himself but was also created the very year Eddie joined us…1966 is set to be treasured among Bowmore fans and will undoubtedly build upon Bowmore’s legendary collectors status.”
- Limited edition version
Only one cask of this exact whisky was set aside for today—aging those 50 years in a single ex-bourbon hogshead in Bowmore’s No 1 Vaults, one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses. Even the presentation was considered, with bottling done in a handmade crystal decanter with five sterling silver adornments at its centre, representing the five decades that the whisky was aged for. Altogether, it’s housed in a handcrafted cabinet made from Scottish oak. Again though, one has to go back to the amber liquid within which had a graceful natural evolution and is as tasty as whisky can get.
Bowmore 1966 50 years bottled in December 2016, releasing 74 bottles worldwide. Each bottle is bottled at a concentration of 41.5% ABV, with a volume of 700ml.
- Perfectly fragrance
Bowmore 1966 has been aged for 50 years in a single barrel no. 5675 hogshead Ex-bourbon, developing a complex flavor and a beautiful golden amber color. Amazing concentration of fruit. So ludicrous, in fact, that you have to laugh. There’s mango, guava, papaya, lots of kiwi, a hint of rose, some ripe peach, then banana and fragrant quince. Compressed, sweet and explosive. It seems to be whisky, but actually occupies a different space in the world of pure aroma. If the 26-year-old was all about crepuscular, smoke-filled mysteries, this is about sunlight and brightness. It’s open, with a lack of guile or contrivance. It just is what it is. As it develops, there’s this tiny touch of salinity and a mild indication of fade. The bleached oak also begins to nudge its way in on the sides, while the fruits pick up a little more brightness, become more yellow, sharp.
