Back in February we were stunned by a few magnificent official Bowmore, so this time I’m turning to two independent bottlings. Rather fittingly, they are sister casks released by the same bottler and retailer, The Whisky Agency: both were distilled in 2005, matured in the same type of cask and bottled in 2026. The question, then, is whether these two Bowmore prove closely aligned in character or reveal meaningful differences between casks.
Bowmore 2005 The Whisky Agency ‘Blue Label’ (2026) Review
This bottling comes from The Whisky Agency, a German independent bottler, known for sourcing single casks across Scotland and presenting them without excessive additive intervention. The whisky was distilled at Bowmore in 2005 and matured for 20 years in a refill sherry cask, before being bottled in 2026. Bottled at a quite low cask strength of 48.8% ABV, this single cask gave 269 bottles filled without chill filtration nor added colour. Initially released around €220 a bottle, this is unfortunately sold out.
Colour:
Jonquille.
Nose:
Neat: The nose is immediately fascinating: ripe tropical fruit rises first – mango, papaya, and a touch of pineapple, then stone fruits: peach and lychee. Behind this settles a gentle, slightly sweet peat smoke that never becomes dominant, alongside clearly recognisable maritime notes of salt and sea air. A fine medicinal nuance reminiscent of Mercurochrome adds further depth to the nose, as well as honey, shortbread and vanilla.
Palate:
– Neat: Creamy, oily, and milky in texture, with tropical fruit continuing to dominate — mango, pineapple, peach, and citrus alongside vanilla, sponge cake, and sea breeze . There is a lovely interplay between the sweet tropical fruit and a tart, spicy backbone, with well-integrated alcohol and touches of wax and salted caramel.
Finish:
The finish is long, closing on those tropical fruits from the palate — mango, pineapple, papaya — alongside herbaceous and spicy notes, delicate ashy smoke, and a lingering salinity.
Comments:
This captures much of what I enjoy in Bowmore: tropical fruit and peat in close balance. Those notes run consistently through the nose, palate and finish, with the smoke adding definition without overwhelming the fruit. At this slightly modest ABV, it is very easy to drink; a little more strength, perhaps with an extra touch of passion fruit, might have pushed it into 9-point territory. Even so, it is an excellent whisky. This was only the neck pour from my bottle, so I’m looking forward to revisiting it after a few more drams and some time for the bottle to open up.
Rating: 8/10
Bowmore 2005 The Whisky Agency ‘Green Label’ (2026) Review
This is a sister release to the 48.8% refill sherry hogshead covered above, bottled by The Whisky Agency under their ‘Made for Friends & Wave Farewell’ label. The whisky was also distilled at Bowmore in 2005 and matured for 20 years before bottling in 2026 at a slightly higher cask strength – 53.3% ABV – , again non-chill-filtered and natural colour, with an outturn of 196 bottles. Like its sibling, this release is sold out.
Colour:
Yellow gold.
Nose:
Neat: Close to the previous one, but this cask feels slightly less expressive and intense, strangely, than the 48.8% one. It still shows tropical fruits, maritime notes and fine smoke, but the flagrances are less defined and more blurred altogether.
With water: Reduction opens the nose a little bit: it becomes deeper and slightly more intense, closer now to the 48.8% sister cask.
Palate:
Neat: Well, the palate, however, clearly does not lack definition and intensity! It shows everything from the other release’s palate: the tropical fruits, stone fruits, maritime notes and smoke. I could have copy-pasted my tasting notes… BUT! It also features what I would have wanted from the 48.8% one: maracuja and more power and intensity.
With water: Not much change, except for some camphor and lime peel appearing.
Finish:
Sugar cane, reduced peat, deep smoke, and candied fruit for a long finish. Tropical fruits linger with a pinch of pepper for a very long time.
Comments:
Neat, the nose is less convincing than that of its sister cask, but the palate brings what the 48.8% blue-labelled release lacked: maracuja and more power. With a few drops of water, it comes close to combining the strongest aspects of both bottlings. The nose keeps it from earning a higher score, but this remains another superb Bowmore.
Rating: 8/10
PS: I couldn’t resist vatting those two together: this is better than each separately; this would get at least an 8.5/10, maybe even 9/10.