Bowmore 12 Year Old / Bot.1980s / Litre Islay Whisky

Tyler Bennet — Good but overhyped

7/10

Look, it's a nice dram. Smoky, coastal, hint of sherry sweetness — classic old Bowmore profile. But I think people romanticise these old bottlings a bit too much. For £900 you could buy a current Bowmore 25 and have change left over. I'd rate the liquid itself around a 7 — the premium is for the nostalgia.

Clara Johansson — Good but overhyped

7/10

Look, it's a nice dram. Smoky, coastal, hint of sherry sweetness — classic old Bowmore profile. But I think people romanticise these old bottlings a bit too much. For £900 you could buy a current Bowmore 25 and have change left over. I'd rate the liquid itself around a 7 — the premium is for the nostalgia.

Luna Chavez — A proper time capsule

8/10

Got this as a birthday gift and I'm so glad I got to try an 80s bottling of Bowmore 12. The peat is softer and more floral than the modern version, with this lovely dark chocolate and tropical fruit thing going on. At 43% it's got just enough kick to keep things interesting neat. Hard to justify the £900 price tag but as a piece of whisky history it's something special.

Priya Sharma — A proper time capsule

8/10

Got this as a birthday gift and I'm so glad I got to try an 80s bottling of Bowmore 12. The peat is softer and more floral than the modern version, with this lovely dark chocolate and tropical fruit thing going on. At 43% it's got just enough kick to keep things interesting neat. Hard to justify the £900 price tag but as a piece of whisky history it's something special.

Gianluca Ferro — A proper time capsule

8/10

Got this as a birthday gift and I'm so glad I got to try an 80s bottling of Bowmore 12. The peat is softer and more floral than the modern version, with this lovely dark chocolate and tropical fruit thing going on. At 43% it's got just enough kick to keep things interesting neat. Hard to justify the £900 price tag but as a piece of whisky history it's something special.