Bowmore Feis Ile 2014 First Fill Bourbon (700ml, 56.1%)

Bowmore Feis Ile 2014 First Fill Bourbon (700ml, 56.1%)

The Bowmore Feis Ile 2014 (First-Fill Bourbon) was a distillery-exclusive release created for the 2014 Islay Festival of Music and Malt. It is often celebrated as a "pure" expression of Bowmore, as the first-fill bourbon barrels provide a bright, creamy counterpoint to the distillery's signature coastal peat smoke without the heavy fruit influence of sherry.

There were actually two festival bottlings that year, but the "First Fill Bourbon" is the highly sought-after Non-Age Statement (NAS) release.

Tasting Notes

Nose: The first-fill bourbon influence is immediately apparent with thick bourbon vanilla, buttercream, and golden syrup. There is a distinct nutty layer of salted macadamia nuts and fresh cedar-wood. As it breathes, the classic Bowmore fruitiness emerges—think green apples and pears—wrapped in a gentle, sweet peat smoke that smells like a dying campfire on a beach.

Palate: The mouthfeel is rich and oily due to the high ABV. It leads with sweet toffee and lemon fondant, quickly followed by a savory maritime punch of sea salt and smoked almonds. In the mid-palate, you may find darker notes of toasted oak and crushed coffee beans, providing a nice bitterness that prevents the vanilla from becoming too cloying.

Finish: The finish is impressively long and transitions from sweet to savory. It leaves a silky coating of lemon oil and salted vanilla, ending on a lingering note of ashy peat and grapefruit zest.

Fun tip

This bottling is quite "poky" at 56.1%. A small splash of water is highly recommended; it tames the alcohol heat and allows the more delicate citrus and tropical "Play-Doh" notes (a classic young Bowmore trait) to come forward.