A rare 42-year-old single malt Scotch from the Islay distillery Bowmore has been released by specialist whisky company Duncan Taylor.
Part of the company’s Rarest Reserve portfolio, a collection of exclusive bottlings drawn from its most valuable and long-matured casks, the whisky was distilled in October 1982, and has spent over four decades maturing in a single ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry hogshead cask.
Only a limited number of 100ml bottles are being made available, with the expression boasting a cask strength of 50.8% ABV.
Following the visual identity introduced in 2023 with Duncan Taylor’s 33- and 52-year-old Macallan bottlings, this bijou Bowmore is presented in an eye-catching gold-bar design.
The scaled-down format offers enthusiasts a unique opportunity to own an ultra-aged single malt at a fraction of the cost of a full-sized bottle.
Complex profile after four decades of maturation
Founded in 1938, Duncan Taylor is an independent whisky specialist with one of the largest privately held collections of vintage and rare casks in the world. Its portfolio includes Black Bull, The Octave, and The Rarest.
Islay whiskies often lean heavily into their smoky, maritime DNA, and Bowmore, Islay’s oldest working distillery, has long been a benchmark for elegance over excess. This Rarest Reserve release takes that legacy and filters it through a sherry-soaked lens
Matured in cask number 89633, a single PX sherry hogshead, the liquid has developed a deep, resinous gold colour, an immediate sign of the cask’s influence and the long, slow interaction between wood and spirit.
Tasting notes describe the nose as featuring ripe orchard fruits, floral notes from Islay’s coastal meadows, and hints of toffee and peat smoke. The palate delivers on the promise of the nose with smoke, milk chocolate, peanuts and a touch of ginger and cinnamon. The finish is described as long-lasting and smooth.
Islay whiskies often lean heavily into their smoky, maritime DNA, and Bowmore, Islay’s oldest working distillery…
This new Bowmore is among the oldest expressions the Huntly-based company has brought to market.
Duncan Taylor CEO Shawn Smith said of the introduction: “Following the success of the Macallan Rarest Reserve last year, we have plans to release a couple of our finest whiskies this year, starting with the Bowmore. Acolytes will love the premise of this collection as it gives them the opportunity to savour our rarer malts at a fraction of the price of a full bottle.”
Ad Gefrin, the Anglo-Saxon museum and distillery in Wooler, has released what it describes as the first legal Northumbrian single malt whisky of the modern era, ending a two-century absence of local single malt production. The debut bottling arrives as the Crǣft Series, a collection of three single cask whiskies that offer an early glimpse…
If you’re wondering what to give the dad on Father’s Day who claims he wants nothing, allow us to suggest something sincere, sophisticated, and soul-warming: whisky. Not socks, not a novelty mug, not a gadget that’ll sit untouched on a shelf, but a bottle of golden liquid crafted purely to delight the senses. In this…
Mystery Malt has returned for its sixth instalment, and according to its creators at Thompson Brothers, it is the biggest release yet. The concept remains delightfully simple: every whisky bottle looks identical, costs the same £65, and arrives concealed beneath a tamper-proof capsule. Buyers know the full list of whiskies that could be inside, but…
The Luxe Review 
A rare 42-year-old single malt Scotch from the Islay distillery Bowmore has been released by specialist whisky company Duncan Taylor.
Part of the company’s Rarest Reserve portfolio, a collection of exclusive bottlings drawn from its most valuable and long-matured casks, the whisky was distilled in October 1982, and has spent over four decades maturing in a single ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry hogshead cask.
Only a limited number of 100ml bottles are being made available, with the expression boasting a cask strength of 50.8% ABV.
Following the visual identity introduced in 2023 with Duncan Taylor’s 33- and 52-year-old Macallan bottlings, this bijou Bowmore is presented in an eye-catching gold-bar design.
The scaled-down format offers enthusiasts a unique opportunity to own an ultra-aged single malt at a fraction of the cost of a full-sized bottle.
Complex profile after four decades of maturation
Founded in 1938, Duncan Taylor is an independent whisky specialist with one of the largest privately held collections of vintage and rare casks in the world. Its portfolio includes Black Bull, The Octave, and The Rarest.
Islay whiskies often lean heavily into their smoky, maritime DNA, and Bowmore, Islay’s oldest working distillery, has long been a benchmark for elegance over excess. This Rarest Reserve release takes that legacy and filters it through a sherry-soaked lens
Matured in cask number 89633, a single PX sherry hogshead, the liquid has developed a deep, resinous gold colour, an immediate sign of the cask’s influence and the long, slow interaction between wood and spirit.
Tasting notes describe the nose as featuring ripe orchard fruits, floral notes from Islay’s coastal meadows, and hints of toffee and peat smoke. The palate delivers on the promise of the nose with smoke, milk chocolate, peanuts and a touch of ginger and cinnamon. The finish is described as long-lasting and smooth.
This new Bowmore is among the oldest expressions the Huntly-based company has brought to market.
Duncan Taylor CEO Shawn Smith said of the introduction: “Following the success of the Macallan Rarest Reserve last year, we have plans to release a couple of our finest whiskies this year, starting with the Bowmore. Acolytes will love the premise of this collection as it gives them the opportunity to savour our rarer malts at a fraction of the price of a full bottle.”
The release is priced at £816 and is available through The Spirits Embassy.
Ad Gefrin announces first Northumbrian single malt in 200 years, but there’s mystery in the launch
Ad Gefrin, the Anglo-Saxon museum and distillery in Wooler, has released what it describes as the first legal Northumbrian single malt whisky of the modern era, ending a two-century absence of local single malt production. The debut bottling arrives as the Crǣft Series, a collection of three single cask whiskies that offer an early glimpse…
The Best Father’s Day Whisky Guide 2026: 19 wonderful whiskies from budget to premium
If you’re wondering what to give the dad on Father’s Day who claims he wants nothing, allow us to suggest something sincere, sophisticated, and soul-warming: whisky. Not socks, not a novelty mug, not a gadget that’ll sit untouched on a shelf, but a bottle of golden liquid crafted purely to delight the senses. In this…
Fortune favours the thirsty as Mystery Malt Series 6 lands with 9,960 bottles and 38 hidden whiskies
Mystery Malt has returned for its sixth instalment, and according to its creators at Thompson Brothers, it is the biggest release yet. The concept remains delightfully simple: every whisky bottle looks identical, costs the same £65, and arrives concealed beneath a tamper-proof capsule. Buyers know the full list of whiskies that could be inside, but…
Share this: