Hunting around etc

Both are good single malts for the price. The Glen Garioch used to be an eight year old that I thought was on the medicinal side. But about a year ago they changed to a ten year and I find it to be much better. It is a good example of a Highland malt, delicate and subtle.

The Bowmore Legend is a good introduction to Bowmore. I have tasted Macllellan's Islay (Five year Bowmore), Legend (Eight year Bowmore), the 12 year and the fifteen year. All have a sort of earthy, peaty character, easily recognizable as Bowmore.

Regards, hawk

hackman70 wrote:

I'm a fan of Glen Garioch, so you might guess I would like it. But I find the 10yo, and the 8yo that preceeded it, to be better whiskies than the 15yo for the money. I liked the 10yo quite a bit when I first tasted it, but I've cooled a little toward it since. They dropped the proof from 43% ABV to 40% ABV. That and a couple of extra years in wood makes it a bit more gentle than the 8yo - but I liked the 8yo's brashness. GG has a distinct flavor unlike other scotches - sort of in the way that Clynelish and Bowmore also do. And usually some perfumy floral notes.

The Bowmore Legend is young Bowmore, usually said to be around 8 years old, but the only thing you're guaranteed with no age statement is

36 months. Because of its youth and probably because of the casks chosen it usually has little influence from the wood, but because it's young it may be peatier and more Islay-like in the glass than the older expressions. Its quality varies from time to time, but occasionally it is quite good; I had a bottle a while back I would have believed was a 12yo with the wrong label. I've also had the opposite experience though.

Both are good ordinary drinking whiskies, and $16 USD seems a good price. Of course, taste and quality are always a subjective matter.

Bart

on Glen Garioch 10 yr

I've always rated Bowmore as a nice malt because it's obviously Islay but a nice balance between the some of the other extremes on the island.

I don't know why but I don't rate the GG. I bought my first bottle recently and sometimes I think it's really average (or even below) and other times it seems really quite nice. But for that price I'd buy a few bottles.

Check the age. I always thought the 8 yr was harsh and medicinal, while the 10 yr is a pleasant Highland. I am more of an Islay fan, but a Highland is OK for a change of pace.

hawk

The Man With No Idea wrote:

Thanx for the help and advice. Great to see a newsgroup work this way.

I tried a bottle of the GG a while ago and found it pretty unremarkable. Given the price I would either go a few dollars more for an Aberlour 10, or else go for a nice Bourbon like Knob Creek. The Bowmore Legend is another story. I think I hated my first bottle, but now it's my value whisky of choice.

Amen.

And now that I think of it--my first Bowmore Legend or two were also horrible--but that was because they tasted like old lady's perfume. The current ones don't.