Bowmore Legend

Bowmore Legend is sold in most markets without an age statement, but is supposedly an eight year old. Its youth shows. This is a light, straw-colored whisky that needs a lot of time to develop in the glass. My first impressions were of new sneaker and rubber bands or latex. The legend was very closed the first night I tried it. Adding water didn't add much to the nose. A first taste revealed light smoke and a sharp finish. I could tell it would eventually become a Bowmore like the 12 year old, but more time in a barrel is definitely needed.

The second night I poured a dram and let it be for more than an hour before I even attempted to try it. In fact, I was closer to 90 minutes before I took my first whiff, which yielded much more of the traditional Bowmore nose. Some fruit came through, green vegetation and maybe sherry. Still some plastic. Finally some faint peat and smoke, but not a lot.

An interesting dram, particularly to see what a Scotch is like early in its career, but I would not choose this as a regular drink.