We Taste Test The New Bowmore Captivo Collection: Bowmore Captivo Oak Voyage 20 Year Old & Bowmore Captivo Sherry Cask Pursuit 20 Year Old

Alex Mustonen stepped from the bright Islay sunlight into the darkness of Bowmore’s No. 1 Vaults – the two-century-old stone warehouse beside the sea where the historic distillery ages its spirit within walls that the Atlantic waves would crash against the other side. As his eyes adjusted, the darkness seemed to occupy the space completely for a moment, before some surfaces begin to emerge once again, almost like a portal into another world for the New York architect.

This experience inspired the design of Bowmore’s new Captivo Collection – a limited edition pair of 20-year-old single malts the subject of collaboration between the historic Islay distillery and the New York design studio Snarkitecture founded by Mustonen himself and artist Daniel Arsham.

Alex Mustonen at the Bowmore distillery (Source: Bowmore)

There is plenty of history for a visiting designer to work with. Established in 1779, Bowmore is Islay’s oldest licensed distillery, occupying a familiar position on the shore of Loch Indaal. Its claim to tradition extends into the present working distillery. Bowmore retains its own floor maltings, where barley is turned by hand as it germinates, and uses peat smoke during drying. Peat is certainly a key part of the distillery’s Islay identity, but Scotch connoisseurs particularly prize Bowmore for its integration of citrus and bright tropical fruit sweetness into an elegant smoky framework.

Black Bowmore 1964 first, second and final editions (Source: Bonhams)

Bowmore’s iconic position in the modern whisky scene was established by the legendary 1964 Black Bowmore expression. It first appeared on the shelves in 1993 as a nearly jet-black whisky that in the words of respected collector and whisky retailer Sukhinder Singh, was “the first product to have sold out overnight” in the London single malt market, sparking off two decades of excitement for high-end single malt collectors. The distillery enters its present era with an existing history of bottles that enthusiasts study and pursue. The challenge is how to express that standing across a broader range of whiskies and encounters with the Bowmore name.

So if you’ve been following the releases of Bowmore, you’ll see that the distillery has more recently been giving considerable thought to how modern drinkers encounter its name – whether as a piece of ultra-luxury in the Bowmore ARC-54 – a 54-year-old whisky presented in a custom made decanter that looks more like a contemporary art sculpture, or as a long-standing collaboration with Aston Martin which brought the distillery into a conversation about taste and engineering. The Bowmore Sherry Oak Collection introduced four expressions aged from 12 to 21 years, while the travel retail Appellations Collection explored wine cask influences from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Douro Valley. Black or darker tones appear to have become a more dominant colour in its livery.

With that background, Captivo’s black packaging and design feels like a natural development of an established visual direction. New York design studio Snarkitecture itself was founded in New York in 2008 by Mustonen and Arsham. Their different training helped establish a practice that moves between architectural interiors, installations and objects. In an interview, Mustonen describes that freedom between disciplines as central to the studio’s approach: the form of a project can change, while the interest in how people experience it remains.

Alex Mustonen sketching early Captivo designs (Source: Bowmore via London Design Festival)

The studio is accustomed to making people reconsider something they think they recognise. Here, that familiar object is a whisky bottle. What might be less familiar to new drinkers was Bowmore’s remarkable history, identity and spirit. And hence the “portal”. Mustonen described the design as creating an invitation for the viewer.

Mustonen visited the distillery and soaked in its working environment and conversed with Dr Calum Fraser – the master blender for Scotch and Irish whiskey at Suntory Global Spirits.

The result is two limited-edition 20-year-old single malts – the Bowmore Captivo Oak Voyage, and Bowmore Captivo Sherry Cask Pursuit, with each its own portal motif. Bowmore describes the central ideas as threshold and passage, connecting Mustonen’s journey to Islay with the eventual appearance of whiskies made decades earlier.

To me, there is something quite intriguing about how the packaging knows it cannot reproduce the warehouse visit, but it could direct attention towards what a closed bottle of Bowmore whisky conceals: a traditional, labour-intensive production process, many years of maturation, and thoughtful decisions about wood. A portal is an effective concept to leave room for curiosity.

Peat burning in Bowmore's kiln furnace (Source: Bowmore)

The Captivo Oak Voyage is more heavily influenced by American ex-bourbon oak. It was bottled at 50.8% ABV, spent two decades in American oak ex-bourbon casks before a finishing period in American oak Oloroso sherry butts.

The Sherry Cask Pursuit was bottled at 51.8% and uses Spanish oak Oloroso sherry casks and American oak ex-bourbon casks, followed by a finish in Oloroso sherry hogsheads.

Both expressions will be made available in November – the Bowmore Oak Voyage within domestic retail, while the Bowmore Sherry Cask Pursuit is a global travel exclusive that would be available at Changi Airport’s LOTTE duty free stores.

We had the opportunity to join Bowmore and Laphroaig's Global Brand Ambassador Teddy Joseph in Suntory Global Spirits' office for an early tasting of these two new expressions. Here are our notes!

Whisky Review: Bowmore Captivo Collection Oak Voyage, 20 Years Old, 50.8% ABV

Matured primarily American oak ex-Bourbon casks, with American oak Oloroso Sherry butts.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Amber copper.

Aroma: Rich, intensely aromatic and remarkably open, led by generous dried stone fruits, wet rocks, aromatic citrus peels and savoury nuts. It’s expressive, yet lifted and elegant, with an almost perfumed, incense-like quality to the smoke. It opens with nearly ripe ume, lots of dried orange peels, vanilla, burnt crème caramel, baked apples, orange supremes, red plums and candied ginger. All integrated, with a lovely caramelised sweetness which gradually emerges an aromatic, sweet dried lavender-led incense and smoke. There's then a nutty, savoury depth, reminiscent of polished antique wood and sandalwood, before leading into aromatic peatiness characterised by sweet tobacco, camphor and spearmint. Throughout, there's the classic Islay shape of persistent bright and zesty lemons, with a touch of black pepper, and a lovely freshness that balances the richer fruits, caramel and aromatic smoke.

Taste: Rich, powerful, layered. Its initially quite assertive the way we’d like it from a classic Islay Scotch, led by fresh lemon, caramelised apples, heavy spices and black pepper, before leading into earthy dried leaves, damp soil and a touch of polished antique wood. There’s a pleasantly rich core, with Manuka honey, grilled, smoky caramelised pineapple slices, dried apricots, toasted walnuts and almond skins, alongside a touch of gentle dried lavender. There’s a lively dimension of bright, zesty lemons and black pepper cutting through the richer caramelised fruits and honey. Throughout, we have an elegant coastal, slightly saline smoked quality, the smouldering embers of charred wood, then some more soy sauce and toasted nuts in a distinctly savoury and earthy depth.

Finish: Long, drying and yet still very aromatic, with smoked heather, roasted Arabica coffee beans and concentrated espresso. Peppery warmth gradually receding. Applewood chip smoke alongside singed citrus, mandarin peels and Lapsang Souchong-like earthy aromatics. As the pepper recedes, it leaves behind lingering fragrant woodsmoke and more earthy tea leaves. A touch of coastal savouriness and faint mineral salinity persists.

My Thoughts

This has fantastic power and roundedness, with a surprising complexity and perfume for an ex-Bourbon cask dominant Scotch. It impresses me how it manages to be simultaneously powerful and assertive, yet remarkably rounded and integrated. There is an incredible intensity in its flavour with everything in the right place, with exotic aromatics that unfold very seamlessly.

The smoke dimension is particularly elegant – it’s almost perfumed and incense-like, rather than being aggressively smoky or medicinal. It has a lovely interplay between the persistent, bright and zesty citrus freshness and the darker, earthier notes of mature oak and peat smoke and delicate dried florals that give the spirit a wonderful sense of depth without weighing it down.

All in all, this is a nuanced and elegant dram, and for me one of the most enjoyable recent releases in modern Islay Scotch. It doesn't simply rush into intensity or overwhelm you with peat, oak and spice. Instead, there's a real sense of integration in how the flavours have come together. A thoroughly impressive and beautifully composed Bowmore.

Whisky Review: Bowmore Captivo Collection Oak Voyage Sherry Cask Pursuit, 20 Years Old, 51.8% ABV

Matured in Spanish oak Oloroso Sherry casks and American oak ex-Bourbon casks, before finishing in an Oloroso Sherry hogshead.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep copper.

Aroma: Rich, also really aromatic, with much of the same complexity and layered character, although slightly denser, with more concentrated and enveloping fruits. Opens with dried stone fruits, dried pineapple and dried mango, with a much more pronounced potpourri-like floral character. Dried mango, dried pineapple, dark roses, rosehip tea and potpourri, followed by strawberry preserves, rich red fruit preserves, honeycomb and a chewy fruit-led wine gum sweetness to it. It’s nicely integrated with a savoury, nutty depth to it, with roasted chestnuts and a touch of dark chocolate ganache. Then rich red fruits and dried florals layer over the subtle peat and wet rock influences. The smoke is elegant, aromatic and almost incense-like, with dried florals, camphor and just a touch of iodine.

Taste: Thick, with a velvety texture. It’s sweet but mellow and rounded. Honey and jam - predominantly red fruit preserves - blanket much of the pepperiness and spice. There’s an initial touch of peat smoke that peeks through on the first attack, quickly subdued by richer fruits. A core of strawberry jam and dried mangos, followed by a lovely honeyed chrysanthemum tea quality with soft white florals and honey sweetness. Gradually it develops into a darker, more concentrated sweetness of caramel and black treacle. Light pepperiness and spice remain present, but softened and cushioned by the jammy fruits and sherry wine richness.

Finish: Warm, lingering and spiced. Lots of aromatic cloves, anise, cinnamon bark and nutmeg, along with soft nutty influences of toasted walnut and glazed chestnuts. A lovely dried floral quality of rosehip tea, potpourri and dark caramel. The peatiness is expressed as more earthy than smoky here. Sweetness recedes first, leaving behind long, lingering warm spices, dried florals and earth.

My Thoughts

This has a very similar weight and layered character as the Oak Voyage, but it later reveals itself to be much more concentrated and fruit-driven. There’s certainly the classic Islay power here, but it’s much more friendly and approachable, with most of the pepper and spice cushioned by the richer velvety fruitiness and sherried dimensions.

There's still plenty of complexity and flavour intensity, but everything feels softer, more mellow and harmoniously put together. It is a more indulgent expression, with the lovely richness of red fruit preserves, honey, dark caramel, earth. It is neither too smoky, nor does it feel excessively sweet or overwhelming, with delicate florals, gentle minerality and warm spices providing a nice balance. A very satisfying, richly flavoured and accessible Bowmore. Whereas the Oak Voyage is more classically Islay, this one’s the crowd pleaser.

@CharsiuCharlie