We kick off the year with two 30-year-old Bowmores from Silver Seal and Wemyss Malts – rare drams that languished too long before I seized the perfect moment. We already know Wemyss Malts, and Silver Seal is an independent bottler founded by Luca Gargano, championing unfiltered, cask-strength authenticity from historic casks.
Bowmore 1987 Bonfire Attire Wemyss Malts (2017) Review
We start with a 1987 Bowmore bottled by Wemyss Malts in 2027 under the name ‘Bonfire Attire’. It matured for 30 years in a hogshead, giving an outturn of 241 bottles at 43.7% (I’m not if this is cask strength or slightly reduced). Of course, since it was bottled 8 or 9 years ago, this release is sold out.
Colour:
Jonquille.
Nose:
Neat: Light bonfire smoke rises first, more like dying embers than an active fire, sitting alongside hints of sea breeze and maritime salt. Heavy, sweet florals, a (very light) touch of violet, and milk chocolate are wrapped in sweet malt and sugared peat. Very light soapy notes do appear, however.
Palate:
Neat: The palate leans soft and approachable, with dusty oak, BBQ burnt ends, and a restrained, sweet peatiness rather than a tarry blast. Sea water and oyster brine, salted butter, gentle caramel, forest honey and dark chocolate, plus a light, ashy edge that echoes the bonfire theme without becoming acrid. The mouthfeel is oily and velvety despite the low ABV, a sign of a natural reduction over time.
Finish:
Medium in length, it trails with sweet smoke, cocoa, and mild oak, leaving a memory of beach bonfire embers and lingering sweetness rather than heavy medicinal peat.
Comments:
Fortunately, this Bowmore steers almost clear of the notorious 1980s FWP, despite faint violet and soapy hints on the nose. The palate starts oaky but sweetens steadily, delivering sweet peat with maritime salt and slight ash. Even with its purity, those light FWP traces and fruit scarcity cap it at 7/10 – very good, but not my top Bowmore.
Rating: 7/10
Bowmore 1983 Silver Seal (2013) Review
Next, we have a 1983 Bowmore, bottled in 2013 by Silver Seal. It matured for 30 years in an ex-bourbon cask, yielding 142 bottles of 700 ml at 48.8% ABV. Funnily, Silver Seal also filled ten 1,500 ml bottles for Rocknowar.it in Support of a Zimbabwe Project. The Italians of WeSpirits seem to still have the 700 ml version for the hefty price of… €1720…
Colour:
Pale gold.
Nose:
Neat: Perfume dominates with lavender, violet, and lightly soapy florals, alongside lychee, mint and sweet smoke. Very subtle peat, light ash in a smouldering fireplace and smoke underscore hints of yellow fruits like pears and apples.
Palate:
Neat: Soft, round and elegant, it delivers a soapy floral bomb of lavender and violet with light earthy touches and restrained peat. Subtle pear, ginger and a sprinkle of salt, marzipan, and whiffs of smoke.
Finish:
Medium-long with burning wood, wispy peat, smoked marmalade, orange peel, and floral echoes laced by soap. Clean and poised throughout.
Comments:
This 1983 Silver Seal Bowmore shows more FWP than expected, even though the core FWP era ran from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s. It slightly predates that period yet feels more tainted by soapy notes than the 1987 Wemyss bottling from smack in the middle of it. If those soapy tones bother you, they will turn you off, but some noses and palates shrug them off and uncover a truly lovely Bowmore underneath.