Bowmore's New ARC-54, the Last in the Series, Is an Ultra-Aged Gem

The whisky inside the final Bowmore Distillery and Aston Martin ARC-54 series spent 19,710 days inside barrels nestled within the distillery’s cool, damp No. 1 Vaults. Distilled in November 1968, the liquid comprises the second and final collaboration between Bowmore and the luxury British automaker. It spent 54 years in two separate casks before marrying for 15 months. The price for one of the 130 handblown decanters produced? $80,000. (Given that a Bowmore ARC-54 The Iridos Edition just sold at auction for $121,384, that SRP doesn’t look quite so high.)

How Was Bowmore ARC-54 Made?

We got a chance to taste this whisky—notes are forthcoming—but first, a little on how it was crafted. Bear in mind, in 1968, then-owner Stanley Morrison had only recently purchased Bowmore, one of less than a dozen distilleries on Islay, and installed a new steam heating system, which became instrumental in producing the iconic Black Bowmore offerings.

Bowmore expressions from the ’60s are often considered part of Bowmore’s Golden Era of production, and are renowned for tropical fruit notes imbued by the bourbon barrels and maturation within the No. 1 Vault, the oldest whisky warehouse in the world. The vault is nestled right along the shores of Loch Indaal and is below sea level at high tides, which often leads to seawater puddling on its floor. That damp, cool microclimate allows for aging periods of 30 to 50 years, and more.

For this Bowmore and Aston Martin ARC 54 offering, two casks were used in a ratio of 61.8% second-fill European Sherry Oak butts and 38.2% third-fill American Oak hogsheads. The liquid is then married for 15 months.

What Does Bowmore ARC-54 Taste Like?

It’s refined, elegant, and surprisingly joyful for its age. On the nose, vanilla wafers, salted caramel, butterscotch, and buttered shortbread arrive first. Additional swirls of the light copper liquid bring out the traditional Bowmore tropical notes, present here in the form of pear, fresh-cut melon, mangoes, and bananas.

On the palate, the whisky is light in body but heavy on flavor. A chewy texture unlocks new layers with every swirl of the glass. It’s bright and floral, with pops of sweetness and tropical fruit running down the sides of your tongue. Notes of mangoes, papayas, and pineapple play nicely with a saline note that underpins each sip.

The finish is luscious and extensive. It starts with the tropical fruits before moving into chocolate-covered cherry, then cinnamon and baking spices alongside orange zest. There’s a hint of dusty oak in there, alongside a whisper of peat.

Is It Hard to Get a Bowmore ARC-54 Bottle?

Even if you had your $80,000 in hand, you’re likely already too late. Bowmore sources say that the 10 bottles allocated to the U.S. are “pretty much all claimed.” Then again, given the resale value of these bottles, perhaps a Bowmore ARC-54 will hit the auction block, and you’ll have your chance then.