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Leading up to the 2024 The Whisky Show in London, Suntory-owned Bowmore distillery has revealed its new label design, replacing colour-assigned age statements that were first introduced in 2007. The last revamp of the design occurred in 2017.
In late August 2024, the Islay-based distillery announced the relaunch of the core range 'Permanent Collection' in 2025 with all-black labels. But to set the mood for the relaunch, Bowmore will roll out a new Sherry Oak collection in September 2024, distinguished by a wavy vertical red line across the new black label. Furthermore, another new collection, Bowmore Appellations, will be introduced exclusively for travel retail in October.
The new design is said to pay homage to Bowmore Black, a highly sought-after range of 1964 vintage single malts known for their concentrated black-hued colour. The redesign also reflects the brand’s intention to elevate and premiumise the brand. In its simplicity, the prices for the releases have also been updated to a more premium price racket.
Let's take a closer look at the new collections, each consisting of four expressions.
Bowmore Sherry Oak - September 2024 Roll-out
The Sherry Oak collection from Bowmore includes 12, 15, 18, and 21-year-old single malts, all of which are influenced by sherry cask maturation to some extent.
All Images by Bowmore
The 12- and 15-year-old single malts were initially aged in ex-Bourbon casks and finished in Oloroso sherry casks, with the 15 in first-fill. They retail for £59 (US$78) at 40% ABV for the 12-year-old and £116 (US$153) bottled at 43% for the 15-year-old.
The 18- and 21-year-old Sherry Oak have been finished in two types of sherry casks: first, in Oloroso-seasoned casks, followed by a second finish in Pedro Ximenez (PX) casks. The 18-year-old retails for £198 (US$262) at 43% ABV, and the 21-year-old is offered at 46.9% for £405 (US$535).
The Bowmore Sherry Oak collection will be rolled out in September, initially focusing on key cities such as London, Paris, Toronto, and Munich. In the US, the collection will debut in early 2025.
Bowmore Appellations - October 2024 Roll-out
The travel retail exclusive Appellations series spotlights wine-producing regions, including Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Douro Valley, with wine-finished expressions. The range includes 14, 16, 19 and 22-year-old single malts. All expressions are offered at 43% ABV.
The youngest of the new collection, Bowmore 14-year-old, is matured in American oak ex-Bourbon casks and finished in Bordeaux barriques. It retails for £50 (US$67). The 16-year-old was aged in both ex-Bourbon and European oak sherry casks and finished in ruby Port casks from the Douro Valley. The expression is offered at a suggested retail price of £81 (US$108).
Bowmore 19-year-old is finished in Pinot Noir casks from Burgundy and retails for £151 (US$200). The oldest Appellations expression, the 22-year-old, is finished Sauternes casks, retailing for £377 (US$500).
The initial roll-out for Bowmore Appellations in October will include availability at Changi Airport in Singapore and London Heathrow.
Bowmore Permanent Collection - 2025 Roll-out
The Bowmore Permanent Collection will debut in 2025, replacing the old designs, although the official release date has not yet been revealed. The range will include expressions for 12, 15, 18, and 25-year-olds. Watch this space as more details will be revealed.
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