Scotland, Isle of Islay. Distillery operational. Owner: Beam - Suntory

Located on the Isle of Islay, in the heart of the village of the same name, in 1963 Bowmore became, under the aegis of Stanley P. Morrison (owner of the distillery until it was bought by the Japanese company Suntory in 1994), one of the greatest commercial successes in the Scotch whisky industry. Vault #1, responsible for some of its greatest releases, including Bowmore 30 Year Old 1963 and Bowmore Bicentenary, played an important role in forging its international reputation. Built below sea level against a natural dyke, its walls and beaten earth floors are constantly steeped in sea spray. Rooted in tradition, Bowmore is one of the last remaining distilleries to malt part of its own barley on-site. Whether matured in bourbon casks (White Bowmore 1964) or sherry casks (Black Bowmore 1964), its spirit, characterized by notes of liquorice, peat and eucalyptus, never fails to reveal the trademark hint of exotic fruit for which the distillery is known.

Bowmore Bicentenary is a blend of whiskies from the 1950s and 1960s, released in 1979, as the name implies, to mark the distillery’’s bicentenary. The casks were selected from the famous Vault No.1, which was also responsible for another renowned bottling, the Black Bowmore. The bottle, which is decorated with the Morrison clan’’s coat of arms, is a replica of an old hand-blown bottle. Another 1964 version of the Bicentenary exists, presented in the same bottle.