Black Bowmore 1964 is the most celebrated series in the history of Islay whisky collecting — and possibly in all of Scotch whisky. Distilled on 5th November 1964 and matured in exceptional oloroso sherry casks in Bowmore's famous vaults below sea level, the liquid drew its name from the extraordinary depth of colour imparted by decades in active sherry wood. When the first release appeared in 1993, bottles sold for under £100. Today, a complete set of all six releases represents one of the most significant lots that can appear at auction — and this is exactly that. All six Black Bowmore releases, spanning 29 years from the inaugural 1st Edition to the ultra-rare Aston Martin DB5 collaboration, are presented here as a complete collection.
Key Details - Distillery: Bowmore, Islay - Series: Black Bowmore 1964 — Complete Collection - Lot type: 6 bottles (all six releases) - Cask: Oloroso sherry casks, matured in distillery vaults below sea level
The Six Releases
| Release | Age | Bottled | ABV | Outturn |
| 1st Edition | 29 Years | 1993 | 50% | 2,000 bottles | | 2nd Edition | 30 Years | 1994 | 50% | 2,000 bottles | | Final Edition (3rd) | 31 Years | 1995 | 49% | 1,812 bottles | | 42 Year Old | 42 Years | 2007 | 40.5% | 827 bottles | | 50 Year Old — The Last Cask | 50 Years | 2014 | 40.9% | 159 bottles | | Aston Martin DB5 | 31 Years (rebottled) | 2022 | 49.6% | 27 bottles |
Tasting Notes Rich, sherry-led Islay throughout — profound dark fruit, dried figs, chocolate, molasses, antique oak, and the unmistakable coastal smoke of Bowmore running beneath everything. Each release reveals its own distinct character as age, cask evolution, and bottling strength vary across the decades.
Why This Lot Is Worth Bidding On - Complete series lots of Black Bowmore 1964 surface at auction extremely rarely — most collections are broken up and sold individually, making intact complete sets one of the most sought-after categories in whisky collecting worldwide. - The Aston Martin DB5, a rebottling of the 1995 Final Edition liquid in just 27 bottles, now commands close to £100,000 as a standalone bottle — illustrating how presentation, provenance, and scarcity can compound value within this series. - The Last Cask (50 Year Old, 159 bottles) represents the final known casks of 1964 Black Bowmore liquid — once those bottles are gone, no further releases from this legendary vintage are possible. As a complete six-bottle set, this lot will not be assembled again.
Condition Please refer to listing images for each bottle's individual fill level, label condition, capsule integrity, and the presence and condition of any original cartons or boxes.
