Aston Martin and Bowmore continue their collaboration with a new lineup of whiskies from Designed by Aston Martin and Bowmore Masters’ Selection.
If you’re squinting a little and wondering if you’re seeing double – yes, Bowmore and Aston Martin put out another edition at the turn of the year. But if you’re a car nut you’d notice immediately that these are from an entirely different collection. Not to worry, even if you can’t recognise the cars, you can see that the new lineup of the Bowmore 10YO, 15YO, and 18YO can be distinguished by their new livery colours.
The new lineup of car ‘pairings’
These days, many collaborations are built on shared values (or the perception of, at least) and this is no different. Like last year’s collection, an iconic car in Aston Martin’s history is paired with each of the whiskies in the collection.
For this year’s range, the Bowmore 10YO is tied to the Aston Martin 1922 GP ‘TT2’, a car designed solely to participate in the French Grand Prix. According to Bowmore, the pairing celebrates passion and belief, and alludes to the depth of the 10YO, brought about by maturing the spirit in a selection of Sherry Oak casks.
The Bowmore 15YO and Aston Martin AM V8 symbolise refinement and elegance. The signature flair of the AM V8 era was thought to be a good partner to the refined opulence of the Bowmore 15YO, thanks to a combination of first-fill Bourbon and hogsheads.
Optimal performance is the key idea behind the Bowmore 18YO and the Aston Martin 1959 DBR4, Aston Martin’s foray into Formula One motor racing. The Bowmore 18YO represents the high wire act of balancing rare Oloroso and PX Sherry casks.
Stars of the show
But the highlight of this new release will no doubt be the Masters’ Selection, which is a true collaboration between key figures from both organisations: Bowmore Master Whisky Blender Ron Welsh and Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman.
The engineering-centric approach resulted in a unique whisky designed around the Golden Ratio, a mathematical concept applied to the design of every Aston Martin. The 21YO was created using a base core matured in first-fill Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks, while the remaining parts of the whisky are made up of exact ratios of each other, including old Bowmore stock matured beyond 35 years.
Also upcoming is a second iteration of the Masters’ Selection series–a 22YO–that features American Oak hogsheads and Sherry butts, with whisky from two different millennia, each distilled in 1997 and 2000 respectively.
Price and availability
Designed by Aston Martin collection is yet another line of ‘safe’ Bowmore whiskies that will not surprise nor disappoint, making them safe purchases at Lotte Singapore Duty Free the next time you’re in and about of the country. The prices are higher compared to the previous edition: The Bowmore 10 Years Old, Bowmore 15 Years Old and Bowmore 18 Years old are priced at S$76, S$105 and S$151 respectively (compared to S$70, S$90 and S$136 from before), but still represent good value as drinks that double up as memorabilia.
Far more interesting are the two Masters’ Selection whiskies that showcase two facets of the modern Bowmore style; the 220YO brings the power and richness while the 21YO demonstrates a surprising level of finesse. It makes for an even better story given how it had to made around the Golden Ratio.
However, this pleasant surprise doesn’t come cheap as the 21YO is priced at $2,688. It will be available at The Whisky Distillery starting 28 August. The price for the 22YO has yet to be confirmed, but we do know that it will be available later this year.
If you’re interested to know about how these two icons started collaborating, you can catch Movement of the Senses at Lotte Singapore Duty Free from 1 to 30 September.
The in-store activation explores the rich and vibrant histories of both Bowmore and Aston Martin and showcase how their partnership came about through an interactive multi-sensory experience that encapsulates the history of both brands.
Designed by Aston Martin (Official Tasting Notes)
Bowmore 10 Years Old
Colour Dark amber
Nose Sun-dried fruit, baked Seville orange and toasted maple
Palate Sultanas, sea salt and dark fruit oils
Finish Peat-smoked walnut and spices
Bowmore 15 Years Old
Colour Dark amber
On the nose Sicilian golden desserts with honey, Almalfi lemon and sweet tobacco leaf
Palate Silky citrus, salty-sweet vanilla and honeycomb
Finish Peat smoke, sweet almond and lingering lemon
Bowmore 18 Years Old
Colour Deepest sunset
Nose Rich dark chocolate, treacle toffee and date oil Palate Bitter-sweet orange peel and peat-smoke roasted coffee
Finish Velvet mocha and macadamia nut chocolate
Bowmore Masters’ Selection (Official Tasting Notes)
Bowmore Masters’ Selection 21 Years Old
Colour Mahogany
Nose Sweet and nutty with notes of Manuka honey and maple syrup, with praline and grilled hazelnuts; combine with rich aromas of freshly tanned leather, cigar tobacco, liquorice roots, dried thyme and heather blossom
Palate Richly elegant sherry merges with raw Islay peat, whilst dark chocolate, black pepper, butterscotch sauce unites with vanilla and coffee beans. Whilst a fruity flair is defined by Morello cherries and a touch of papaya.
Finish Sweet, spicy and mouth warming, with notes of oak spices, chestnut cream and coconut lingering
Bowmore Masters’ Selection 22 Years Old
Eye Burnished gold
Nose Beginning with fragrances of honey sweetness, peach, and apricot, yet evolving into bolder medicinal aromas, with fresh tobacco, cloves, and eucalyptus with a hint of red berries.
Sip Maritime notes give an initial medicinal, salty taste which gives way to sweetness in the form of honey, with an intriguing note of fresh oysters bringing it back to Islay
Palate Subtle peat smoke dries the mouth to finish.
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