I grew up in a big city then went to school in another big city and stayed. I still like the sports teams I grew up with as a boy but love my current ones the most. The age old American Whisky vs Scotch quandary is like this to me. Occasionally I’ll throw in a non-North America review. Im a bourbon/rye snob but dabble in Scotch too. I’m fairly unqualified to do much more with Scotch/Single Malt than drink it. I do follow what I want to collect, what’s going to be rare and what I like.

I’ve met Iain McCallum, Master of Malts for Bowmore a bunch of times. He’s a great guy and wealth of info. Talk to him for 10 minutes and you’ll love him and his brands, he has that gift. At Whiskyfest NY he turned me onto this one and I really liked it. I immediately told a few of my favorite stores to get their hands on some which they did. My reward as usual was the ability to get a few of what is heavily allocated because I got them in on it early. Overseas and the UK this stuff went like an ice cube in the Sahara and long gone so don’t wait on this if you want some, the 1302 US bottles are around right now.

First some description I took from Bevnet—
Bowmore, the first Islay Single Malt whisky, introduces THE DEVIL’S CASKS Small Batch Release, set to arrive in the US late November/early December with a suggested retail price of $89.99. With just 1,302 bottles allocated for the US, this devil will sell out quickly.

The legend on Islay is that the devil once visited the Round Church in the village of Bowmore. The Round Church, as its name implies, is in fact circular and it was built that way so there would be no corner in which the devil could hide. The local congregation spotted the devil in the church and chased him down through the village and into Bowmore Distillery’s famed No. 1 Vaults. Here, as the warehousemen were filling casks and loading them aboard a paddlesteamer, the devil was lost. It is believed that he escaped into a cask of Bowmore bound for the mainland.

This story was the inspiration for Devil’s Casks which is matured exclusively – and uniquely – in the finest first fill sherry casks which help bring out Bowmore’s intense qualities and show off its deep mahogany color and rich fruitcake and dark chocolate flavors. Bowmore’s The Devil’s Casks Small Batch Release is a spellbinding potion that is non chill-filtered and offered at cask strength (56.9% ABV).

“Ten years’ maturation in first fill sherry casks has brought out Bowmore’s fiery characteristics,” said Iain McCallum, Master of Malts for Bowmore. “The notes in this dram are hot and seductive. This small batch release is quite simply, devilishly good.”

So this isn’t a in your face peat monster at first nose. Lingering floral notes. Fruit and the peat is still there.

Flavor explodes in your mouth. Very smooth for almost 57 ABV of cask strength. Some burn at the end. Great long finish. The sherry brings out a fruitiness. Maple, Tobacco. Very nicely balanced. Lots of smoke but it’s not overwhelming or enveloping like so many Ardbeg types.

I had it before and liked it so I knew to buy more than one. My Value based ratings is its a bit pricey for a 10 year old but its a really good 10 year old. Bowmore Limited, non-chill filtering, cask strength first fill sherry makes up the $30 difference of what I’d like to pay for a 10 year. One of my favorite bourbons is Elmer T Lee at $30 and no age statement but 9-10ish years. 20 years ago that’s considered fairly old but in today’s Whisky dog years some snobs call that a puppy but it’s really not.
It’s so easy to get mesmerized into the the old is good but older is better. Devils Cask is a prime example where more barrel and wood time would have hurt this one. On my sometime used 5 point scale I’ll say a 4-4.25. Trust me on this one to buy more than one but hurry. Not much has been mentioned on this one yet so go “git” some.