86 points
Bowmore 25 year old Vintage Fèis Ìle (2016 Edition), 55.7%
This was a true double maturation: a dozen years in first-fill bourbon and then 13 years in claret. In its 20s, Bowmore tends to shed its smoke and allows the soft fruits (here, persimmon, nectarine) which have always been there to show themselves. There’s a light oiliness on the tongue. The casks have added vanilla, red fruits, and spice, but the overall impression is of harmony and integration. Lovely. (200 bottles) £350
Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2016)