Review #364 - SMWS 3.344 'Maritime Meandering' - Bowmore 18 Year
Periodically, and now with increasing frequency, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society will release country-specific casks, as opposed to their normal process of allocating bottles from a single release across a range of countries. Here in the US, we get quite a few of these each year at this point - here's one example, an 18 year old Bowmore named 'Maritime Meandering.'
There's an unusual story behind this cask, as well - instead of selection by the society's tasting panel, this single malt was chosen by actor Neil Patrick Harris, with help from Charlie MacLean, SMWS Head of Whisky Creation Euan Campbell, and SMWS Director Ben Diedrich. They chose it for the cask's vivid flavors, which told the story of their experiences when visiting Islay.
On to this specific cask - it's coded 3.344, meaning it's the 344th cask of Bowmore than the SMWS has bottled; it was matured in a second fill ex-bourbon hogshead. Despite the fact that this is 18 years old, the refill status and larger size of the cask could mean we still get to see some of that famous Bowmore distillate lingering, without it being overwhelmed by oak influence.
SMWS 3.344 'Maritime Meandering' - Bowmore 18 Year
Scotland/Islay - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 260 (2024)
Age Statement: 18 Years
Strength: 57.3% ABV
Cask Makeup: Second fill ex-bourbon hogshead
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled February 16, 2004; 235 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 5 times over 5 months; bottles at 100%, 90%, 80% (blind tasting), 70%, and 60% (blind tasting) fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Subtle, musty, a bit closed up at first. Soft savory smoke builds to a medium level, and there's a whiff of herbal notes around. After a bit of barbecue and ash, some sweetness develops in the form of fruits: sweet orange, pineapple, grilled peaches, even a hint of mango and nectarine rind. More air time gives us a light, creamy, almost lactic note.
Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel; softly phenolic, full of sweet tropical fruits. Syrupy peaches, a blast of nectarine, mango and melon, even guava... lemon and orange citrus are background notes. The peat smoke is slightly woody and musty, and it builds up to a medium influence; hints of sharpness come from the tangy fruits, as well as peppery barbecue and some fizzy sensations. Oily, with hints of cinnamon in the wood spice.
Finish: A mix of sweet and tart fruit flavors - nectarine, mango, sherbet, which transitions to a creamy guava flavor. The peat is more mild now, restrained but flavorful, and we get hints of icing sugar and more of that fizzy sensation. In the aftertaste, hints of chili heat and more mango - like a chili-mango salsa. It's a medium length finish.
Final Note: This is a lovely Bowmore, but it's definitely one of those whiskies that needs some time to open up in the bottle, and to open up in the glass. Subtle at first, but with time, that burst of juicy tropical fruit is fantastic; the subtle herbal and spice notes that often come from this distillery add a nice complexity.
Bowmore with any sort of age on it isn't cheap, and that's still the case with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society - over $250 for an 18 year old whisky is steep. Value, then, isn't amazing, despite the fact that the liquid itself is great.
Our Average Rating: 8.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.14
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Bowmore reviews:
Check out our other SMWS Islay reviews:
Review #260 - SMWS Distillery 53 Rare Release 'Floral Petrichor' - Caol Ila 14 Year
Review #200 - SMWS 53.363 'Delicious Earthy Smoke' - Caol Ila 10 Year
Review #197 - SMWS 10.217 'Journey to the Fest' - Bunnahabhain 13 Year
