Bowmore 21 y.o 1988

The Bowmore 21 y.o distilled in 1988 (port cask matured). I love it. We pounced on two bottles when we saw them at Heathrow airport years ago. Then we ordered a carton of these from 2009. Predictably less costly than what I have to pay now no thanks to higher alcohol import taxes.

That night when I grabbed a photo, there were exactly two generous drams left. Saved it for another night. We're all out of this expression now. *very very sadface* Like I said, Bowmore has shifted its naming, bottling and output. Dunno if I like its recent releases. I certainly don't fancy its duty-free White Sands 17 y.o anymore. It tastes vastly differently the previous bottling. Its Mariner 15 y.o isn't exciting too.

Meanwhile, I've hoarded a few other favorite bottles, which apparently, are all out of production now. Win. Why do I always pick the expressions which run out so fast. Oh well, barrels finish and distilleries do halt production after a couple of years. Nothing lasts forever and each batch will differ year on year. I'm sometimes left breathless keeping up as distilleries change ownership and go bigger on marketing and pushing out 'new' products, simply to up the sales numbers. I've been a whisky drinker for almost two decades. Seen and tasted the changes which aren't necessarily for the better. It's nice occasionally to sip a familiar old flavor. For this Bowmore 1988 21y.o, I love the deep smoke, rich hues and almost sweet notes at the end of each dram.

Ah whisky, this May and June, you're a good friend. That's not to say I don't have human friends. Of course I do, and the ones I call friends, are the best. Also, I've always declared that I'm an alcoholic. Well, it's arbitrary. It all depends on the sort of volume and the amount of appropriate libations one deems excessive and thus fall into the category of 'alcoholic'.