dusk darker dawn advice please

Just brought home a bottle of the Mariner 15 last night. No organized tasting notes, but pretty nice stuff. Nicely balanced smoke, tar, bit of peat, something almost citrusy in the deep background, but no perfume. And I'm realizing there is a constant characteristic of the several Bowmores and McClelland's Islays I have tasted ‹ a lovely silky mouth feel. I like it. This won't be my last.

bill

I have never had a Bowmore that had the FWP that some people talk about. The McClelland's Islay is one of the best values I have found for single malt scotch. I have never heard of Dawn or Dusk and I haven't tried the Darkest, but at $29.99 I would give it a try. The Mariner is a steal at $29.99.

Regards, hawk

I dunno Douglas, from your taste in whisky I'd be surprised if any of them were to your liking. I myself wouldn't buy any of them based on recent memory but if I had a pick of one (for free), it would be the Bowmore Dawn as the finish is pretty nice. I think the archives document my thoughts on the Dusk and the Darkest... well, I've not come across one that wasn't littered with the smell of bathroom freshener and just to reinforce my feelings, Davin recently brought over some Darkest that he keeps on hand for those who don't believe in FWP... not that I needed convincing or anything.

But there must be some great Darkest out there that hasn't yet reached these North America. I had lunch with Jim McEwan last month and when I asked him what he keeps on hand at home for personally dramming, he shocked me by announcing Bowmore Darkest (and Scapa btw). I think he knows whisky and I think he knows what he's talking about... so perhaps I should have asked him to send me a sample of what passes for Bowmore Darkest on Islay.

Johanna

them were to your liking. ...

Well I got the Mariner (15 yrs) and I am in a love/hate battle with it. I love the ACTION, but what I find consternating is this layer of goofy flavoring that weighs in before the peat. It's like they they ran the soon-to-be-bottled whisky from a claret barrel to a sherry barrel to a port pipe and then gently whispered the incantation, "FWP, FWP" over it in order to make up the thin time on the palate before the ordinarily very nice Bowmore peat hits. The whisky is certainly INTERESTING, and it is smooth and long enough, and I keep gravitating back to it only to grapple with it again, but it still seems more like a single malt whisky PRODUCT than a single malt whisky. I can't even start to think about Dawn, Dusk, Darkest at this point.

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Hi Douglas,

Have just dug out my notes of the three. Each highly recommended, IMO.

Dawn (port finish) Rich, complex, virtually thick nose. Unmistakeably Bowmore, plus fruits (fruit preserves), ginger, honey melon, some resin. Full flavour, soft and sweet at first, but building up gradually, turning peaty-smoky-marine. Developing into fruity sweet again, with distinct malty undertones. Sweetnes gets delicate in further stages, becoming somewhat flowery. Some bitter almonds. Long, sweet, oaky and smoky finish. Score: 4 (out of 5, half point increments), my wife insisted on 4.5.

Dusk (claret finish) Soft, warm, complex nose. Slightly perfumy, but pleasantly so. Bitter chocolate, sherry, rose petals, red grapes, a coastal breeze, ripe wild rose. On the palate - medium bodied, sweet and delicate. Flowery at first, with solid malty base, develops some oakiness, and suddenly the Islaydine explodes on your tongue. Virtually explodes - a true orgy of peat, smoke and iodine. Replaced by delicate, winey crispiness. Some bitter chocolate. Echoes of the Islaydine explosion intermingling with the softer, sweeter notes. Lots of development. Long finish, sweet-grapey, leaving your mouth as if after devouring a bunch of sweet grapes. Score: 4

Darkest (sherry) Surprisingly light nose (as for sherried whisky). Islaydine accompanied by dried fruits - figs, dates. Water brings out flowery notes - as if a meadow full of wild frowers. Smoke and iodine go, replaced by candied cocktail cherry notes. Some toffee. On the palate, it's very smooth, with Islay coming to you mercilessly, but without a hurry. Sweet notes of black currant are soon replaced by most aggressive Islaydine. Some sherry, seaweed, almonds and bitter chocolate. Very long, peaty and salty finish. Score: 4.

Overall, no trace of FWP or any unpleasant notes. Will have any of these any day.

Cheers, Rajmund

Pardon me for asking, but would someone please explain FWP for me?

Thanks, Rob

Bogey man, very real to some but to others like myself filed under unicorns, leprechauns etc etc :-)

They are all worth drinking but my preferred order is:

Bowmore 17 Bowmore 12 Bowmore Dusk Bowmore Darkest Bowmore Legend

Darkest are fine sherry casks, well worth 30! closer to 60-70 at the present EUR/$ rate over here i wish i could mail order from the states...

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