Aston Martin and Bowmore’s Newest Whisky Collab Is a Subtly Smoky 22-Year-Old Single Malt
Whisky and cars go together like… well, they really shouldn’t literally go together in most circumstances for obvious reasons. But if you’re into luxury automotive design aesthetic and ultra-premium single malt scotch, there’s a new bottle you should check out from Bowmore and Aston Martin.
Bowmore is a single malt scotch distillery located on the island of Islay, a region known in particular for its smoky, peated whisky. While Bowmore does indeed produce peated whisky, its level of smoke is somewhat lower than what you might expect from distilleries like Laphroaig, Lagavulin and the raging bonfire that is the Port Charlotte range from Bruichladdich. The distillery has collaborated with luxury British automaker Aston Martin for several years now, with a slew of high-end single malts exploring different ends of the flavor spectrum, and even some bottles that are literally made from pieces of cars.
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This new release, Masters’ Selection 22 Year Old, comes on the heels of last fall’s astronomically priced and futuristically designed ARC-52, a single malt aged for more than half a century that was enclosed in a decanter that kind of looks like a spaceship. This new bottle is much more traditional, but the liquid within is an excellent example of how over two decades inside of barrels agrees with the Bowmore distillate. Specifically, this expression includes whisky distilled in 1997 and 2000 that was aged in American oak hogsheads and sherry butts. Official tasting notes include sweet peach and apricot, tobacco, cloves and medicinal aromas, followed by honey and a bit of maritime brininess. All of this is undercut by a subtle smokiness that supports the palate instead of overpowering it. The whisky is bottled at 51.5 percent ABV.
“We are always striving to push the boundaries, be that design, engineering, or performance, to achieve the very best in each car we create,” said Aston Martin CCO Marek Reichman in a statement. “In coming together with Bowmore, we can imagine, discover, and create together, taking inspiration from one another constantly.” This will be one of the last collaborative efforts that recently retired Bowmore master blender Ron Walsh has a hand in, but it’s one in which he takes great pride. “We talk about shared synergies between the contrasting worlds of Bowmore and Aston Martin and this is what truly defines the relationship Marek and I have formed,” he said. “We have relished in the opportunity to share experiences, ideas, and thoughts from each other’s worlds, listening and learning from the inherent skill, knowledge, and creativity we both possess.”
Bowmore Masters’ Selection 22 Year Old Edition 2 is rolling out this week in the US, UK, Germany, Canada and China with an SRP of $450, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself spending more. Unfortunately, the Aston Martin is sold separately.
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