The Devil Comes to Bowmore
The Scottish winter is on its way. The evenings are darkening, a thick frost lies on the ground and breath hangs in the cold air like a cloud. As we draw towards late October we find ourselves once more approaching Hallowe’en, the night when all the evil things of this world and the next are said to be abroad.
Many of Scotland’s distilleries have long, storied histories and serve as the backdrop to all kinds of myths and legends. There are tales of mischief and merrymaking, of heroism and romance but sometimes there are other tales, dark myths that could curdle the blood and make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end…
The population of 19th century Scotland were a superstitious lot and troubled times often led to the belief that foul play was in evidence. Unseasonably bad weather or crop failure could be put down to the influence of witches, or worse. The good folk of Bowmore were no different and legend says the church on the hill was constructed with round walls so that there were no corners in which evil spirits could hide.
The winter of 1837 had been a particularly hard one. When the weather was at its worst, villagers would gather in the church to shelter and pray. One night, during the worst storm of the year, a strange shadowy figure was seen loitering at the rear of the building and when the glow of torchlight illuminated his terrible visage he was identified by some as the very devil himself. At first, frozen in terror, the hardy folk of Bowmore backed away but they soon steadied themselves and began to work together to harass the Beast from their church, chasing him through the village until he disappeared behind the walls of the distillery.
A search was organised and the distillery overturned, room by room… but to no avail. Somehow, the demon had escaped. The people of Bowmore were dumbfounded. All doors and windows were locked and the building surrounded on all sides but one. The only possible exit was via the icy waters of Loch Indaal.
It was then that one of the villagers noticed the outline of a small steam Puffer pulling away from the darkened pier. It was freshly laden with newly filled casks, bound for the blenders in Glasgow. Had the Devil escaped in one of the casks? Disturbingly, the Puffer would never reach the mainland. Its exact fate remains a mystery but it is said that on cold nights, down by the harbour, the sound of a horn can be heard in the distance and the water seems to slap as though lapping the side of some unseen ship, floating out there in the darkness.
The Whisky
The Bowmore 15 Year Old is known as ‘Darkest’ and is finished in Sherry Casks.
Smell: Subtle, floral peat smoke. Caramel, lemon and lime. Honey and notes of sherry and chocolate. An enticing nose that draws you in every time.
Taste: Beautiful though perhaps less complex than the nose. Arrives in a burst of flavour with notes of honey and caramel. Peat Smoke and some rich sherry at the finish.
Thoughts: Bowmore’s 15-year-old usually retails for around £55. For my personal taste, it lacks a bit of texture, a bit of weight but there’s a good, bold flavour in the glass with a nice balance between smoky spirit and cask influence. Certainly not a sherry bomb but you can feel the impact of the wine. Arguably the best of Bowmore’s core range.
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