Bowmore Darkest

Islay’s oldest working distillery, Bowmore was established in 1779 and is now regarded as one of the most popular malts not only on Islay, but in the whole of Scotland. The distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison in 1963, ushering in an era of iconic single malts, including the legendary Black Bowmore, credited by many as the genesis of whisky collecting, bottled in 1995. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year prior (they had been stakeholders since 1989), and it remains one of the most collectible brands in Scotch whisky today. Bowmore is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries to use its own floor maltings, providing them with 40% of their requirements.  

The Bowmore Darkest was introduced in 1999, and is a non-age statement vatting of whisky, finished for three years in Oloroso sherry casks. It was incredibly popular among Bowmore fans, so much so that it survived the 2007 shake up of the core range. It was repackaged as a 15 year old, replacing the much-loved 17 year old (which became a travel retail exclusive) in the process.