New Release: BOWMORE Official Devil's Cask Third Edition

This time as well, it's a full-bodied sherried whisky, but there were some slight drawbacks. BOWMORE BOWMORE OB 'THE DEVIL'S CASKS' 3rd Edition 56.7% FIRST FILL OROLOSO & PEDRO XIMENEZ SHERRY CASKS The aroma features a strong sherried character with notes of currants and berry jam, prunes, American coffee, bouquet garni, a pronounced woody character, slightly earthy with a hint of leaf mold, animal-like leather, briny seaside notes, and a strong peatiness, finishing rich. On the palate, it starts with a smooth mouthfeel that expands into an aromatic richness. It has a strong jammy sweetness, a pronounced tannic dryness to balance it, some green vegetal bitterness, strong peatiness, and a rich umami flavor, though the finish is slightly rough or prickly. [Good/Very Good] This is the latest third edition of BOWMORE's official Devil's Cask bottling. As with previous releases, this is a sherried BOWMORE matured in first-fill Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez casks. The aroma delivers the expected strong sherried character, accompanied by a diverse range of elements such as concentrated berries, coffee, herbs, pronounced woody notes, and earthy leather characteristics. It also exhibits the briny seaside qualities and strong peatiness typical of Islay. On the palate, it expands into an aromatic richness with a very strong sweetness reminiscent of Pedro Ximenez sherry. However, it also presents a strong tannic dryness and some green vegetal bitterness. From the mid-palate onward, a slightly rough or prickly nuance lingers in the finish. While the first Devil's Cask had a juicy, fruit-forward sherried character that felt hand-bottled, this third edition feels slightly forced in its finish, which is a bit disappointing. Nonetheless, it remains a rare BOWMORE with a concentrated sherried character and a sweet, satisfying Islay cask strength.