Bowmore 12 Year Old / Bot.1980s Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Luna Chavez — A proper time capsule

9/10

Picked this up at auction and it's everything I hoped for. The old-style Bowmore 12 has this gorgeous balance of peat smoke and tropical fruit that the modern version just can't match. At 43% it drinks beautifully neat — rich and oily with a long salty finish. Yes, £900 is steep, but for a piece of Islay history it feels almost justified.

Clara Johansson — A proper time capsule

9/10

Picked this up at auction and it's everything I hoped for. The old-style Bowmore 12 has this gorgeous balance of peat smoke and tropical fruit that the modern version just can't match. At 43% it drinks beautifully neat — rich and oily with a long salty finish. Yes, £900 is steep, but for a piece of Islay history it feels almost justified.

Gianluca Ferro — A proper time capsule

9/10

Picked this up at auction and it's everything I hoped for. The old-style Bowmore 12 has this gorgeous balance of peat smoke and tropical fruit that the modern version just can't match. At 43% it drinks beautifully neat — rich and oily with a long salty finish. Yes, £900 is steep, but for a piece of Islay history it feels almost justified.

Tyler Bennet — Good but overhyped

7/10

Look, it's a solid 12 year old single malt and the 1980s bottling strength of 43% gives it more presence than some of the weaker stuff on shelves today. I get the lavender and sherry sweetness everyone raves about. But at nine hundred quid I expected to be blown away, and honestly I've had modern Islay malts at a fraction of the price that come close.

Natasha Volkov — Smoky and surprisingly sweet

8/10

Finally got to try this at a friend's tasting night. The nose is classic old Bowmore — dark chocolate, violet, and just the right amount of coastal peat. I preferred it with a few drops of water which really opened up the honey and citrus notes. Lovely dram, though I'm not sure I could bring myself to pay current market prices for a full bottle.

Priya Sharma — Smoky and surprisingly sweet

8/10

Finally got to try this at a friend's tasting night. The nose is classic old Bowmore — dark chocolate, violet, and just the right amount of coastal peat. I preferred it with a few drops of water which really opened up the honey and citrus notes. Lovely dram, though I'm not sure I could bring myself to pay current market prices for a full bottle.