Complex yet perfectly balanced, our 12 Years Old reflects the raw essence of Bowmore – thrashing waves, windswept landscapes and generations of tradition. Bowmore 12 Years Old has received much critical acclaim; the late, great whisky writer Michael Jackson proclaimed it “remarkably long and complex”. We like to think of it as vanilla ice cream at a beach bonfire.

Laphroaig have revived the practise of using smaller casks, once used as they were easier to transport by mule or packhorse (and perhaps avoid the Exciseman). These cask sizes became uneconomic in the advent of rail and road transport so larger casks begain to be used.
With a smaller cask comes greater contact and interaction between spirit and wood, as the ratio is increased by up to 30% as compared to normal casks. In simple terms this means quicker maturation. Furthermore, thet finish the maturation of this whisky in the ancient No.1 Dunnage Warehouse right on the seashore.

Here’s what the distillers think about the end product:
“The result surprised and delighted us. The additional oak influence from the quarter casks had created a soft sweetness and velvety feel when first tasted, then the intense peatiness so unique to Laphroaig comes bursting through. The finish is very long and alternates between the wood sweetness and the classic phenolic “peat reek” like the waves on our shore.”

The only distillery on the Isle of Skye, set on the shores of Loch Harport with dramatic views of the Cuillins. This alluring, sweet, full-bodied single malt is so easy to enjoy, and like Skye itself, so hard to leave.