I did plan to give Bowmore’s 16 YO Apellations Travel Exclusive a try earlier than I had hoped for; but the whisky stars didn’t quite align, pushing the dates a wee off – by a good 2 months! And albeit a bit delayed, here we are as I give the second of the tri-series a swoop!

As the name suggests, the series looks to celebrate some of the world’s wine regions and their contributions to the whisky industry. This expression, in particular,  the sixteen, celebrates the contributions of Portugal and the city of Porto, where they age and bottle their fortified wine, aptly named Port wine.

The good folks at the distillery, sourced Ruby Port casks from the region to finish their whiskies; those aged for a minimum of 16 years and matured in a combination of exbourbon and sherry casks, before finding itself in a Bottle-O near you!

ABV : 43%

Eye : Tawny | Caramel Colouring

Nose : Red wine and vanilla, dried fruits with luscious plums that are interleaved with earthy nuances, phenol and cigarette ash. Caramel pudding and rum ‘n raisin cake infused with woody and leathered notes. A host of spices; sage, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and white pepper.

Taste : Dried fruits and vanilla, red grapes,  peaches and plums. There’s wood, char and earthy nuances with a lot of fruity sweetness coming through. Char and ash are followed by pepper and medicinal nuances.

Finish : Medium to Long |Fruity influences, cupped with red wine and dried fruits, along with peat and ash.

This 16 yr Port Finish brings with it a plethora of flavours; ushering in fruits, spices, peat and a dollop of wine influences mixed in. Almost a kerfuffle at first (not a bad thing), it begins to evolve with time, giving a sublimely sweet yet savoury experience.

There’s depth, there’s complexity, and fair representation from the Islay; I might have liked a tad more peat, but I’m not really complaining. At around AUD $170, it’s a whisky that sits above par, got good flex, has rizz and well worth for round two!

Preference : Although good just as is, it might also do well with a splash of H-2-O!

Slainte Mhath!