Here is an announcement rarer than a 60 year old whisky and one they are sure many of you will be pleased to hear, Bowmore Islay single malt whisky have announced that they are returning to Age Statements for their new look travel retail range which now includes 3 new expressions. The Islay distillery has axed its current travel retail range and replaced it with a Bowmore 10 year old, Bowmore 15 year old and Bowmore 18 year old old single malt whisky.

This move certainly goes against the trend of recent years especially in travel retail where age statements have been becoming a bit of a minority amongst some single malt whisky brands on the shelves in airport shops.

The 3 new Bowmore travel retail exclusive expressions are:

Bowmore 10 Year Old the new entry level travel retail offering which is the result of a marriage of Spanish Oak sherry casks and hogsheads. Bowmore say that it is a dark amber liquid, with hints of sun-dried fruit, baked Seville orange and toasted maple on the nose before giving way to sultanas, sea salt and dark fruit oils on the palette. This sherry-cask expression has a lingering finish of peat-smoked walnut and spices.

The Bowmore 10 year old is bottled at 40% ABV and is presented in a 1 litre bottle, it will be priced around £44.99

Bowmore 15 Year Old which was matured in First Fill American Bourbon casks. Bowmore say that this golden barley coloured 15 year old whisky features a refreshing nose of zesty citrus fruit, on the palate you will find silky peat smoke and salty-sweet vanilla leading to a sweet almond and lemon finish.

The Bowmore 15 year old was bottled at 43% ABV and is presented in a 1 litre bottle, it will be priced around £49.99

Bowmore 18 Year Old sits at the top of the new travel retail range but note that this is not the same Bowmore 18 year old you will find in the standard domestic market Bowmore range, this is a new Bowmore 18 year old bottled exclusively for the travel retail market. The new Bowmore 18 was matured in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, Bowmore describe the 18 year old perfectly balanced with rich chocolate and gentle peat smoke on the nose, on the palate, treacle toffee, dates and bitter-sweet orange peel and it finishes with roasted coffee and macadamia nuts.

The Bowmore 18 year old is bottled at 40% ABV and is presented in a 70cl bottle, it will be priced around £86.99

Gone from travel retail shelves and now discontinued, although they can still be found in some specialist whisky shops such as Master of Malt are the Bowmore Black Rock, Bowmore Gold Reef and Bowmore White Sands.

The new Age Statement Bowmore travel retail range is now available exclusively in global travel retail, so well done to Beam Suntory and they will look forward to tasting them and hopefully Beam Suntory's Auchentoshan brand will be next to return to age statements for their travel retail offerings.

Read more at source Scotch Malt Whisky