Sampling the New Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish:

Bowmore has taken full advantage of its place in the Beam Suntory portfolio to unveil a brand new, ultra-premium release, Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish. This unique expression has been finished in Mizunara oak casks obtained from Suntory, making it the first Islay single malt Scotch to ever be finished in the prized Japanese oak.

To unveil such a special whisky, Bowmore hosted a quite special event at Manhattan’s Saxon & Parole. There, they brought a small group to the restaurant’s basement, dubbed the Bowmore Sensorial Salon for the evening.

There, Beam Suntory master spirits ambassador Iain McCallum led a tasting that invited attendees to do more than taste their whisky, but also to experience it across the sensory spectrum. To do so, guests were blindfolded before beginning to work through a trio of Bowmore expressions, which also included several other new releases — Dorus Mor III, and Devil’s Cask III.

Senses were heightened with sounds of the crashing waves along Islay’s shores, ocean mist hitting the face, the heat of the sun warming the skin, the smell of peat smoke filling the air — so yes, guests sat helplessly blindfolded as people walking around spraying them with misting bottles.

Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish Review

Onto the Bowmore Mizunara Cask, it’s cask-strength and bottled at 53.9% ABV. While it’s a No Age Statement release, McCallum noted that whisky included was generally between 15 and 25 years of age.

This East meets West whisky showcases a blend of Bowmore’s peaty smoke, with the spicy, dry wood influence of the Mizunara oak. It’s a spicy, creamy dram, with light fruit, citrus and earthy background notes, and overall a well-balanced interplay of Islay smoke with the incense, cedar wood and floral notes of the cask.

It was one of the more unique and memorable whisky tastings one could experience, and the whisky itself is one of the more fascinating to be found anywhere on store shelves.

Only 2,000 bottles are available across the globe, each priced at $1,000. Visit Bowmore.com for more information.