Bowmore 23 Year Old – No Corners To Hide
$719.90
Bowmore 23 Year Old No Corners to Hide is one of the most significant limited-edition aged expressions from Islay’s oldest distillery. Created in collaboration with acclaimed graphic artist Frank Quitely, this travel retail exclusive was released in October 2021 in an edition of exactly 6,666 bottles — a direct reference to the devilish legend behind the name. After 21 years in American oak hogsheads, the whisky spent a further two years in Essencia® Rose Oak barriques, a rare French cooperage cask dating to the 1830s, before being bottled at 51.5% ABV.
- Age: 23 years (21 yr ex-Bourbon + 2 yr Essencia® finish)
- ABV: 51.5%
- Distillery: Bowmore, Islay, Scotland (est. 1779)
- Casks: Ex-Bourbon American Oak Hogsheads + Essencia® Rose Oak Barriques
- Edition size: 6,666 bottles worldwide
- Release: October 2021 · Travel retail exclusive
- Artist: Frank Quitely (Batman & Robin, X-Men, All-Star Superman)
- Whiskybase score: 90.14 / 100 (214 ratings)
The Legend Behind the Name
In 1767, the people of Bowmore built their church round — purposely. The logic was impeccable: a circular church has no corners, so the devil would have nowhere to hide. Their precaution almost worked.
On a clear winter's evening in 1837, the devil came to Bowmore anyway. He was chased from the round church, through the village lanes, until he sought refuge in Bowmore Distillery. The gates were bolted. The doors were locked. The malt barns, the mash house, the stillroom — all searched. The devil was never found. That night, The Maid of Islay, a small paddle steamer used for transporting Bowmore whisky, was loaded with casks for the mainland. His escape remained unexplained.
It is this legend — and the round church that still stands in Bowmore today — that gives the series its name. The 6,666-bottle edition size is not accidental: it is the devil's number, doubled, stamped on every label as a knowing nod to the story that inspired the bottle.
About the Whisky
Bowmore 23 Year Old No Corners to Hide is an Islay single malt Scotch whisky from Bowmore Distillery — the oldest on Islay, established in 1779. It was released in October 2021 as part of the No Corners to Hide series, a collaboration between Bowmore and Scottish graphic artist Frank Quitely. The 23-year-old and a companion 32-year-old expression were released simultaneously, both exclusively through travel retail.
The whisky spent its first 21 years maturing in American oak hogsheads, developing the vanilla, toffee, and gentle smoke that characterises long-aged Bowmore. It then spent a further two years in Essencia® Rose Oak barriques — a rare French cooperage cask dating back to the 1830s — which introduced the distinctive floral dimension that sets this expression apart from any other aged Bowmore in the distillery's recent catalogue.
Maturation: 21 Years + Essencia® Rose Oak Finish
Essencia® barriques are a proprietary cask type produced by Tonnellerie Demptos, a French cooperage based in Bordeaux. The casks are made from oak selected for its unusually high norisoprenoid content — aromatic compounds that occur naturally in oak and contribute floral, fruity characteristics, primarily found in wine production. The "Rose Oak" designation refers both to the rosy, floral character the casks impart and to the cooperage technique used. The style dates conceptually to the 1830s and is rare in whisky maturation — Bowmore's use here is one of the most notable applications in Scotch production.
Tasting Notes
The Frank Quitely Collaboration
Frank Quitely is a Glasgow-born graphic artist best known for his work on some of the most celebrated titles in modern comic history — Batman and Robin, All-Star Superman, X-Men: New X-Men, and Jupiter's Legacy, among others — for DC Comics and Marvel. Bowmore commissioned Quitely to illustrate the legend of the devil and the round church for the No Corners to Hide series. His distinctive artwork — detailed, darkly atmospheric, unmistakably his — appears on every bottle and outer carton, giving the release collector appeal that extends well beyond the whisky community. The collaboration launched the Frank Quitely Series, with both the 23-year-old and 32-year-old expressions forming its first chapter.
Rarity and Collector Value
The No Corners to Hide 23 Year Old was released exclusively through travel retail in October 2021 and sold out within hours. It has appeared consistently in auction catalogues since 2022, with secondary market prices reflecting the combination of age, limited edition size, and artist provenance that makes this bottle genuinely difficult to replicate.
This bottle sold out at travel retail within hours of its October 2021 release. Stock available through specialist retailers like Shop Whisky Online represents what remains of the 6,666-bottle worldwide edition. Once our allocation is exhausted, it cannot be replenished from any source.
Bowmore Distillery: 245 Years on Islay
Bowmore Distillery was founded in 1779 in the village of Bowmore on the shores of Loch Indaal — making it the oldest distillery on Islay and one of Scotland's oldest active producers. It is one of the few distilleries that still malts a proportion of its own barley on traditional floor maltings on-site, contributing directly to the distinctive character of its spirit: the balance between gentle peat smoke, floral sweetness, and maritime brine that defines the Bowmore house style.
The distillery has been owned by Suntory (via Beam Suntory) since 1994, a relationship that has brought long-term maturation investment and a commitment to aged expression releases. The No. 1 Vaults — the oldest bonded warehouse in Scotland, built into the Loch Indaal shoreline below the distillery — house the most significant aged casks, including those drawn for the No Corners to Hide series.
Bowmore sits in the middle ground of the Islay peat spectrum. It is less heavily peated than Ardbeg or Laphroaig, but more complex and maritime than Bunnahabhain. The No Corners to Hide 23-year-old's Essencia® finish takes that balance further — the result is an Islay whisky that can genuinely surprise drinkers who expect nothing but smoke from the island's malts.
Storage and Serving
- Store upright in a cool, dark location
- Away from direct sunlight — UV damages whisky over time
- Consistent temperature — avoid fluctuations
- Sealed bottle will hold indefinitely at 51.5% ABV
- Once opened: use a Vacu Vin or inert gas preserver if not finishing within a year
- Collector bottles: consider a display case away from heat sources
- Neat first at room temperature — 51.5% is approachable straight
- A Glencairn or tulip glass concentrates the floral nose from the Essencia® cask
- Add a few drops of still water to open the florals and soften the pepper
- No ice on first pour — it closes down the nose significantly
- Allow 5 minutes in the glass before nosing — the character evolves considerably
- Collector note: if opening, consider decanting a small tasting portion first
Frequently Asked Questions
Bowmore No Corners to Hide is a limited-edition series of Islay single malt Scotch whisky released in October 2021 in collaboration with Scottish graphic artist Frank Quitely. The 23 Year Old was matured for 21 years in American oak hogsheads then finished for two years in Essencia® Rose Oak barriques, bottled at 51.5% ABV. Only 6,666 bottles were produced globally as a travel retail exclusive. The series takes its name from the legend of the round church in Bowmore village, built so the devil would have no corners in which to hide.
The nose is medicinal and floral — white roses, peonies, gardenias, beeswax, and incense, with subtle peat smoke beneath. The palate opens with golden syrup, acacia honey, and marzipan, developing a peaty, sooty character midpalate with an oily, peppery mouthfeel. The finish is creamy, lightly salty, and spicy, with stewed figs and lingering warmth. The Essencia® Rose Oak cask contributes the distinctive floral character that sets this expression apart from other aged Bowmore releases.
The 6,666 bottle edition size is a direct reference to the legend that inspired the series — the devil who visited Bowmore's round church in 1837. The number 666, associated with the devil in folklore, was doubled to 6,666 as a creative decision by the production team. It forms a hard ceiling: there will be no second batch or re-release of this expression.
Essencia® barriques are casks produced by French cooperage Tonnellerie Demptos, made from oak selected for its high norisoprenoid content — aromatic compounds that contribute floral and fruity characteristics primarily found in wine production. They are often called "Rose Oak" barriques because of the rosy, floral character they impart. In the Bowmore No Corners to Hide 23 Year Old, the two-year Essencia® finish contributes the white roses, gardenias, and floral oiliness that distinguish this expression from all other aged Bowmore releases.
No. Bowmore occupies the middle ground of the Islay peat spectrum — less heavily peated than Ardbeg or Laphroaig, more balanced and floral. After 23 years of maturation and two years in the Essencia® Rose Oak casks, the peat in the No Corners to Hide 23-year-old is present but restrained — a backdrop of coastal smoke rather than the dominant force it is in heavier Islay expressions. The floral finish from the Essencia® cask is arguably more prominent than the peat.
Frank Quitely is a Glasgow-born graphic artist best known for landmark work on Batman and Robin, All-Star Superman, and X-Men for DC Comics and Marvel. Bowmore commissioned him to illustrate the legend of the devil and the round church for the No Corners to Hide series. His distinctive illustration appears on every bottle, giving the release crossover collector appeal among art and comic book collectors in addition to whisky enthusiasts.
Shop Whisky Online holds stock of the Bowmore 23 Year Old No Corners to Hide with worldwide delivery. As a 6,666-bottle travel retail exclusive originally released in October 2021, available stock is genuinely limited and will not be replenished. All bottles are securely packed for international transit.
Explore Further
Our full editorial review — the Essencia® cask explained, tasting notes, collector value, and verdict.
Understand filtration, ABV, and natural colour — why these decisions matter for what ends up in your glass.
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