Whiskey BOWMORE Vintage 2001 OVER 20 Years Collection ARTIST 12 70 cl

Description

Bowmore 2001 Over 20 Artist #12 – Matured Islay Whisky with Sherry Cask Influence

Bowmore 2001 Over 20 Artist #12 is a limited single-cask release from the Bowmore distillery on Islay, Scotland. Distilled in 2001 and matured for more than twenty years, it combines the distillery’s smoky, maritime character with the additional complexity associated with a first-fill sherry butt. The whisky was bottled at 54.8% ABV, retaining the intensity of its cask rather than being reduced to a lower bottling strength.

Cask no. 102 is central to the identity of this release. A sherry butt is a large cask previously used to mature sherry, and its influence can contribute layers of spice, fruit and chocolate. Here, those notes work alongside Bowmore’s oily peat, delicate smoke and saline character. The result is a single malt whose flavour develops from smoky and maritime impressions towards sweeter, fruitier and more rounded notes.

The nose opens with oily peat, sea-salt aromas and gentle smoke. With aeration, fresh fruit, citrus, dried fruit and spices emerge. On the palate, the peat becomes more herbal and liquorice-like, accompanied by vanilla, wax, mint and dark chocolate. The long finish combines malt, maritime salinity and lingering smoke, with fruit notes providing further complexity.

The whisky forms part of La Maison du Whisky’s Artist #12 collection, which connects selected spirits with contemporary visual art. The label features artwork by Gesine Arps, giving the bottle an identity beyond its limited production. Only 665 bottles were drawn from this single cask, making it a notable release for collectors and enthusiasts of mature Islay single malts.

For the best tasting experience, allow the whisky a little time in a tulip-shaped glass before nosing and sipping. A small addition of water can be explored according to personal preference, although tasting it neat first helps reveal the full strength and structure of the original cask.