Bowmore 1965: Time In A Glass

As a whisky writer, I’m acutely aware of how fortunate I am. Bottles arrive at my door with frequency. Invitations to distilleries and dinners appear often. Some I politely decline, others I gratefully accept. But once or twice a year, an invitation lands that changes everything. It gives the feeling I must imagine those that receive notification of being given a MBE feel. A date that you might move existing commitments for, such is the rarity and importance. 

That was precisely what happened when I received an email inviting me to lunch at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane. The setting was impressive, but it wasn’t the location that caught my attention. It was whisky. An opportunity to try a 52 year old 1965 Bowmore, distilled during one of Bowmore’s most definitive decades in its 240-year history, alongside the iconic Black Bowmore

It is a fifty-two-year-old single malt from one of Scotland’s most respected distilleries, drawn from the historic No.1 Vaults on Islay,  the oldest maturation warehouse in Scotland. Whiskies from here are shaped by their environment: the cool, damp air, the salt carried in from the Atlantic, and the patience of time itself. Not all whisky from Islay is aged there (there simply isn’t the space), so tasting liquid that has spent its entire life there, is in itself wonderful.

Islay itself is unlike anywhere else. Remote and weather-beaten, it sits exposed to the Atlantic, shaped by wind, salt and time. The island’s character seeps into everything it produces. The roads curve between stone cottages and open moorland. It is quiet, but never still (apart from when Yves and I took a McLaren there as part of our McLaren 720S Scotland Tour)

For whisky enthusiasts, visiting Islay is more than a journey; it is almost a rite of passage. People travel from around the world to walk through those old warehouses, to stand by the sea wall at Bowmore, to feel the connection between landscape and spirit. I have only been once, on our tour, for a brief twenty-four hours, yet the memory has never faded. I have wanted to return ever since. There is a pull to the island that is hard to explain, something about its wildness, its solitude, and the sense that time moves differently there. So when the chance came to taste one of its most celebrated whiskies, I did not hesitate.

The lunch was hosted by Bowmore’s Brand Ambassador, Teddy Joseph. We began, as all good afternoons should, with a cocktail. Grosvenor House’s Head Bartender, Dorothy Lam, created it especially for the occasion. Dorothy had just been crowned the EMEA Rising Star in global mixology, and her cocktail proved why. Long, delicious and the perfect palate awakener. 

I’ve attended many events built around a distillery’s latest high-end release, and too often the star of the show arrives last, when everyone has already enjoyed several drams and their palates are past their best. It’s always struck me as a missed opportunity. So I was particularly pleased that this lunch began with the iconic 1965, served while our palates were still fresh and fully able to appreciate its depth and precision.

The aroma rose instantly: there was juicy fruit, orange, demerara sugar and grilled bananas . On the palate there was dark chocolate, bovril, ginger, marmalade and integrated smoke. It was still youthful with incredible depth and finesse. The finish went on seemingly forever. Even when the glass was empty, the flavour lingered, along with the realisation that this was probably the final sample available to anyone outside of private collectors. It was questionable if there would be enough for our table of 6 to sample. It really is the very last drops of this, except the reserved stock, held back for the final few buyers. An honour indeed. 

Bowmore has created an entire experience around the 1965, aptly named Rarity Defined. Priced at £28,050, it offers far more than a bottle. Two guests are invited to travel to Islay to collect it in person, enjoying an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to the distillery and a level of access rarely granted. Only a handful of bottles remain, and while the figure may sound high, it is, in truth, a bargain. For those fortunate enough to secure one, it represents not just ownership of a remarkable whisky, but a unique experience, and of course the acquisition of the Bowmore 1965 with the following for 2 people :-

Overnight stay in Glasgow at the Mar Hall Hotel.

Private dinner hosted by a member of the Bowmore whisky making team.

Transfers to Islay.

Overnight stay at the Bowmore Distillery Cottages.

Seafood lunch: locally sourced and prepared on site.

Fireside dinner at the Bridgend Hotel.

An exclusive distillery journey, guided behind closed doors.

Bespoke tasting of rare and exclusive Bowmore whiskies, including the legendary Bowmore 1965.

David Turner, Bowmore’s distillery manager, said “This is certainly one of the most remarkable whiskies we have produced during my time at the distillery. The expression demonstrates the rewards of Bowmore's meticulous aging process, combined with the expertise of our distillery team. This expression has obtained legendary status amongst collectors and whisky enthusiasts and showcases why Bowmore is one of the most collectable single malts in the world.”

It was a rare privilege to be among the very few people in the world to taste this remarkable whisky, and I’m acutely aware that I may be one of the last to do so. For those who appreciate mature whisky but may never encounter this one, the 25- and 21-year-old expressions poured alongside it at lunch were superb. Their soft, diminishing smoke and layered depth of flavour matched beautifully with the English Ribeye steak I had chosen. I don’t often visit steakhouses, which made the experience all the more enjoyable.

Whisky is about friendship, conversation, and shared memories as much as the liquid itself. It’s an experience to be shared, one that lingers long after the glass is empty. Tasting this exceptional 1965 Bowmore reminded me of that, and made me long to return to Islay. Not just for a distillery visit, but to spend real time there, with my Nikon, absorbing the ambience of the island, its people, and its quiet sense of magic that no brief visit can ever truly capture.

I cannot find the words to articulate just how incredible this whisky is, and how fortunate the owners will be. I was in a Tokyo whisky bar recently, with 4 fellow specialist writers, and we saw a Bowmore Black 1964 on the shelf. We all talked about it, such is its reverence, and I have no doubt that in decades to come, the next generation of whisky writers will be talking about this bottle in the same way. 

Bowmore 1965 Rarity Defined is available to purchase directly from Bowmore, but I cannot imagine it will last for long…