Bowmore 12 Year Old Official Bottling Circulated in the 1980s

A well-known bottle, but I have yet to encounter anything truly outstanding... Bowmore BOWMORE 12yo OB 43% Circulated in the 1980s The aroma has an old-world feel, with caramel, plum, apricot jam, a slightly charred barley note, a refined and strong peatiness, earthy tones, concentrated black tea, and a slightly mysterious, seductive nuance. Upon drinking, the mouthfeel is gentle with some viscosity and a sweet apricot jam flavor, though not overpowering. There's also a slightly grassy bitterness and a refined peatiness that carries through to the finish, with a hint of perfume. [Good] This is an official 12-year-old Bowmore bottle that circulated in the 1980s, with a distillation date likely from the 1970s. From past experience, many bottles of this type have deteriorated due to aging in the bottle, often with a burnt sweet potato-like off-odor. However, this particular bottle did not exhibit such characteristics. Additionally, while Bowmore often has a tropical feel, this bottle did not have that either. It had an old-world charm without any bitterness, with notes of apricot jam, strong peatiness, and a rustic earthiness, giving it an overall slightly seductive character. There were some grassy bitterness and perfume elements, but the latter was not perceived as negative. Distillates from the late 1970s often have a less fruity and more subdued peatiness, so this bottle fits that impression.