Bowmore’s signature smoke, reminiscent of beach bonfires, blends with a distinct saline note, accompanied by hints of flowers, cereal, citrus, and subtle tropical fruit. This unique character, when aged for long periods in refill casks, develops into a primary aroma where the peat fades away almost entirely.
A significant portion of Bowmore whisky is matured in ex-Sherry butts, introducing flavors of dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, citrus, and smoke, offering a contrast to the lighter refill-cask profile. The distillery’s extensive range artfully balances between these two flavor extremes. A notable percentage of Bowmore’s whisky is matured on the island, with its No.1 Vaults recognized for their exceptional microclimate. This cool, damp space—below the level of Loch Indaal and forming part of the town’s sea wall—provides ideal conditions for long-term maturation.
Although Bowmore is often said to have begun distilling in 1779, the first recorded whisky production was in 1816 when John Simpson obtained a license. It wasn’t until 1837, when Glasgow blending firm Wm & Jas. Mutter took over, that Bowmore started gaining wider recognition. By 1841, even Windsor Castle requested a cask of Bowmore, at a time when Scotch was considered too bold for English palates. The distillery changed hands several times before being purchased in 1963 by broker Stanley P. Morrison. The Morrison era marked a legendary period for Bowmore, with its mid-1960s bottlings becoming iconic.
Modernization came with the installation of an innovative heat recovery system that reduced fuel costs and provided excess hot water to heat the town’s swimming pool. In 1989, Japanese distiller Suntory bought a stake in Bowmore and assumed full control in 1994, the same year the renowned Black Bowmore—100% Sherry-aged—was released, initially at the then-astonishing price of £100.
In 2014, Suntory acquired Jim Beam, bringing two of Islay’s most iconic single malts, Bowmore and Laphroaig, under the same ownership.
