Bowmore Enigma 12 YO

Bowmore Enigma 12 YO, 40 %

Bowmore is the only distillery on Islay that has given me very mixed experiences. A couple of weeks ago I shared my tasting notes on Bowmore 100 Degrees Proof which I really like.

Todays whisky is a limited release from Bowmore exclusively for Travel Retail. My husband and I have had a couple of bottles of this one. I guess that gives away my opinion on the whisky.

Well, todays tasting notes are based on a 5 cl bottle since our full sized bottle is empty. On the back of the bottle it says E150 (caramel coloring) is added for an even coloring. In addition to barley, yeast and water, E150a is the only additive allowed in Scotch whisky. The majority of blends, and many single malts, are still coloured with E150a.

Bowmore Enigma 12 YO is available to buy online.

Nose (21/25): A sweet and fruity smoke meets my nose immediately. The oak takes over and pushes the smoke in the background. Then it becomes more citrus with a lot of oranges and orange zest.

Taste (21/25): Warm and spicy. At first the sherry notes with plums and peaches are quite obvious, but they are quickly overtaken by spices. I find nutmeg and cardamom, and some white pepper gives a bit of sweetness to the taste. The smoke is nicely integrated.

Finish (21/25): Spices, ash and oak finishes off the aftertaste. Medium long finish that ends dry, actually very dry.

Balance (22/25): A well balanced and delicate Bowmore.

Score (85/100)

- Tone