Bowmore Appellations Collection is a GTR-exclusive range comprising Bowmore 14 Year Old, Bowmore 16 Year Old, Bowmore 19 Year Old and Bowmore 22 Year Old.

Four new global travel retail exclusive whiskies from single malt distillery Bowmore are set to arrive at key international airport hubs in October, Suntory Global Spirits has announced.

Bowmore Appellations Collection, a quartet of age-statement liquids, will activate initially with special launches at London Heathrow and Singapore Changi.

The four whiskies include Bowmore 14 Year Old, Bowmore 16 Year Old, Bowmore 19 Year Old and Bowmore 22 Year Old.

These marry the signature smoke, peat and fruit notes characteristic of the Islay Scotch with the sophistication of European terroirs – from the vineyards and wineries of Burgundy and Bordeaux to the exclusive port houses of the Douro Valley.

It is one of two boutique whisky series designed to showcase the variety of flavours and choice available to new and existing Bowmore aficionados, the other addition to the permanent portfolio being the Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask Collection.

A landmark moment…

This demonstrates the complexity of the best European oak sherry cask, maturing the depth and flavour of the whisky to enhance Bowmore’s recognisable style.

Comprising a 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old, 18 Year Old and 21 Year Old, each of these four whiskies nod to the distillery’s ability to capture the different layers of flavour and accentuate their taste profiles.

Bowmore Sherry Oak collection will begin to roll out to key global cities including London, Paris, Toronto and Munich from September 2024 via domestic whisky specialists and luxury retailers.

The brand says the distillery is reflecting on almost 250 years’ experience, while 2024 marks 60 years since the birth of Black Bowmore.

Bowmore 16 Year Old is matured in American oak ex-Bourbon casks and European Oak Sherry casks and finished in hand-selected Ruby Port casks from the Douro Valley for ‘an enchantingly rich and complex whisky with a mature, autumnal ripeness and smoke, giving more richness from the finish’.

The moment represents another landmark in the distillery’s development, says Suntory Global Spirits, which is focusing on exploiting Bowmore’s value by investing to retain and improve its place in the market by providing a world-class portfolio to showcase the breadth and depth of the Islay single malt.

A design transformation of the portfolio’s livery and visuals is intended to communicate the spirit’s story in a clear and authentic manner.

Morphic linework immerses shoppers into the ecosystem of Bowmore, underscored by the dominant use of the colour black, a part of the brand’s livery for decades while at the same time saluting one of the brand’s most prestigious creations in Black Bowmore, which was distilled in 1964.

‘The true essence of Bowmore’

Manuel Gonzalez, Brand Marketing Director Global Travel Retail, Suntory Global Spirits said: “Travel retail is a key showroom for our iconic global brands, and I am very proud that we are able to offer our retail partners such an exceptional new channel-exclusive collection.

“Bowmore Appellations is a very special series, a showcase for the multi-dimensional Bowmore spirit and the different terroirs celebrated through these expressions. We know that our travelling consumers expect high-quality product innovation and authenticity, enhanced with deeper, richer experiences.

Bowmore 19 Year Old is matured in American oak ex-Bourbon casks and finished in hand-selected Pinot Noir casks from Burgundy. The result is a ‘delightfully smouldering and expressive single malt defined by subtle smokiness and well-rounded character with complex toasted and caramelised flavours’.

“This new collection embodies our commitment to deliver a best-in-class premium brand portfolio, to truly elevate the airport shopping experience, and to help us achieve our ambition to become the world’s most admired premium spirits company.”

Kirsteen Beeston, Marketing Director of Bowmore, added: “We have a duty of care as custodians of this incredible distillery to best reflect and capture the true essence of Bowmore, out of both respect to all that has been achieved so far but equally out of a desire to ensure we honour the spirit as we know it today. As such, we made the decision to evolve the world which surrounds the brand, across brand creative, experience, and innovation.

“This is exemplified by the upcoming launch of two new whisky ranges: Sherry Oak Cask and Bowmore Appellations which, along with the existing range of Bowmore whiskies, will be offered to our customers and consumers in a new brand livery. As we look to the future, we aim to redefine what it means to enjoy a glass of Bowmore, transforming each moment into a captivating experience.”

TRBusiness visited Bowmore Distillery in Islay in June for an exclusive preview of the two new series. For a detailed on-location report and commentary from Suntory Global Spirits on the new GTR exclusive liquids, watch out for the TRBusiness October edition.

Visitors to next month’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference can collect print copies of the flagship edition and accompanying Top 10 International Operators report from the press racks on the exhibition floor.