Bowmore Small Batch Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky
William Simson founded Bowmore in the year 1779 in Islay. It is the home of the world’s oldest Scotch Maturation Warehouse; The Legendary No.1 Vaults. Furthremore, Bowmore was the first of Islay’s distilleries to receive a licence, springing fully-formed into official existence in 1779. In addition, William Simson had been been distilling in Bowmore since shortly after his arrival in 1766. At a time when Daniel Campbell the Younger (the laird of the island) was expanding the village into the island’s capital.
The distillery passed through four owners before 1963. Morrison family bought it and also sold to the Japanese whisky company Suntory in 1994.
DISTILLERY HISTORY
In fact, Bowmore is one of the oldest in Scotland, Bowmore Distillery was established in 1779 by local merchant David Simson. Simson moved to the new village of Bowmore from Killarow around 1766. He was a farmer, a merchant, a postmaster, a sailor and most memorably a whisky distiller. His arrival coincided with the expansion of the village after Daniel Campbell The Younger, the Laird of Islay, decided to build Bowmore as the islands capital.
The first recorded mention of the distillery was in 1779. It was the first distillery on Islay. However, many people believed that it started soon after Davids arrival in 1766. He was a pioneer. He built the distillery, distilled the whisky and introduced the new famous Islay whisky to the world. James Mutter and his family took over the distillery. Bowmore Small Batch Reserve was also a farmer and distiller. He had the unlikely role of Ottoman, Portuguese and Brazilian Vice-Consul in Glasgow.
James Mutter considerably expanded the distillery and as the Bowmore name began to travel, demand grew. The family kept the distillery until 1887 when it was sold to John Sherriff of Campbeltown and became the Bowmore Distillery Company.
In 1963 the distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison. Morrison substantially rebuilt and renovated much of the Bowmore Small Batch Reserve. However, he retained the original floor maltings and traditional whisky production methods which are still in use to this day.
Today
The distillery today is owned by Morrison Bowmore Distillers. However, it was partly owned by Suntory Ltd of Japan for some years. Morrison Bowmore then purchased outright by Suntory in 1994.
Good Things Come In Small Batches
Exclusively matured in first and second fill ex bourbon casks, then blissfully married together, Small Batch exhibits the best qualities of both. First-fill bourbon offers delicious vanilla sweetness, subtle spices and bourbon oak smoke to complement Bowmore’s gentle peaty smokiness, while the second-fill cask enhances Bowmore’s fresh fruity complexity and showcases its trademark honey and creamy malt character.
