Review: Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask 12 Years Old and 15 Years Old

Buckle up, Bowmore fans. Islay’s oldest licensed distillery is introducing four new expressions to the U.S. market, each from its Sherry Oak Cask Collection. These include 12, 15, 18, and 21 year-old single malts, all matured across a variety of both ex-bourbon and sherry seasoned casks. The 12 and 15 year old expressions hit stateside 2025, while the 18 and 21 year old bottlings will begin rolling out in February 2026.

These Sherry Oak Cask whiskies join Bowmore’s always-on selection of core single malts, which are available in the U.S. at 12, 15, 18, and 25 year age statements. But the new-to-market whiskies are all about the sherry seasoning. Indeed, Bowmore promises a “woodier, sweeter and fruitier finish,” distinct from its existing core offerings.

Let’s see if the description matches the flavor. Today, we’re looking at the newer 12 and 15 year offerings.

Bowmore 12 Years Old Sherry Oak Cask Scotch Whisky Review

This base expression was matured across a combo of European oak Oloroso sherry casks and American oak ex-bourbon barrels. It was then finished in additional Oloroso-seasoned casks before bottling. Nutty and with ample wood spice to start, the 12 year old has some punch on the nose, especially for 80 proof. Light peat builds over time until it’s a mostly dominant note, along with secondary components of coal-charred peaches, plus orange and grapefruit rinds.

It’s almost the other way around on the palate, with smoke up front; peat hits quickly on the tongue and then recedes. In its place comes fruity custard, baked apples, and richly toasted sourdough bread. The whisky isn’t memorably viscous. But again, it performs well for its proof, sitting across the tongue long enough for individual flavors to develop, and not so long as to let the experience get totally consumed by smoke.

Multi-grain porridge with a hint of table sugar carries the transition from back palate through to a sweet and smokey finish. A final act amps back up the peat, and in  this case pairs it with rich chocolate malt, lingering citrus peel, and a little creosote. 80 proof. A- / $90 

Bowmore 15 Years Old Sherry Oak Cask Scotch Whisky Review

A slightly older expression is again aged across European oak Oloroso sherry casks and American oak ex-bourbon barrels. (The company doesn’t divulge the exact cask makeup, but with the 15 year old, they take care to emphasize “selective maturation in first-fill Oloroso casks.”) The whiskey is again finished in Oloroso-seasoned European oak.

Compared to the 12 year, this 15 year expression is noticeably darker and richer on the nose. Mixed berry compote and cranberry sauce are accented by wisps of tropical fruit, giving a hint at how Bowmore distillate can evolve over longer periods. It maintains a characteristic pairing of peat and sweet, alongside noticeable salinity, raisin bread, dried sage, and baking spices. (Grated nutmeg atop clotted cream sounds oddly specific, but it comes to mind.)

A first sip is surprisingly light, and it takes a couple tastes to catch my bearings. There’s more tropical fruit here than the nose implied, specifically starfruit and guava. Those flavors are followed by saltwater taffy and lightly drying seasoned oak staves. Peat is a bit more languorous here, in this case hitting along the midpalate. It’s not overpowering, but certainly strong enough to evoke chargrilled fruits, burnt ends, and honey glazed ham. (Those last two notes become especially prevalent with continued salinity, which helps push flavors into savory territory.)

The finish leans into smoked maple syrup and pineapple upside down cake, though the sweetness is admittedly (and thankfully) restrained by some persisting savory notes.

Revisiting this about an hour later, I’m chalking that lackadaisical first sip up to my palate, not the whisky. It’s a solid dram, distinct from its younger sibling but ultimately at a similar quality band. 86 proof. A- / $160

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