Bowmore Devil’s Casks is back. Bowmore has revived the sherry cask series it released between 2013 and 2015, and the 2026 return brings two single malts, both exclusive to The Whisky Shop.The Devil’s Casks 10 Year Old (56.6% ABV, £70) is matured in first-fill Oloroso and finished in first-fill Pedro Ximénez casks, and launches on 16 October 2026. The Devil’s Casks 22 Year Old (59.6% ABV, £380) comes from two casks held back from the original releases, and is offered by ballot from 31 October to buyers of the 10 Year Old. Both arrive at the Bowmore distillery shop from 1 December 2026.
The devil got away once. Islay legend says he was spotted in the Round Church in Bowmore, a church built without corners so he had nowhere to hide, chased through the village into the distillery, and escaped in a cask bound for the mainland. More than a decade after the last bottle of the original trilogy left the shelves, Bowmore has found two of those casks again.
The Bowmore Devil’s Casks series is back, and it arrives as a pair: a new 10 Year Old built as a tribute to the originals, and a 22 Year Old drawn from two casks that were held back when the first releases were bottled.
Bowmore Devil’s Casks 10 and 22 Year Old at a glance
| Devil’s Casks 10 Year Old | Devil’s Casks 22 Year Old | |
|---|---|---|
| ABV | 56.6% | 59.6% |
| Strength | High strength, non-chill filtered | Cask strength, non-chill filtered |
| Casks | First-fill Oloroso, finished in first-fill PX | First-fill Oloroso and PX, finished in refill Oloroso |
| Volume | 70cl | 70cl |
| Price (RRP) | £70 | £380 |
| Release | 16 October 2026, The Whisky Shop | Ballot from 31 October 2026 (10 Year Old buyers) |
| Distillery shop | From 1 December 2026 | From 1 December 2026 |
| Bottle count | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
What is Bowmore Devil’s Casks?
The Devil’s Casks was a three-part small batch series from Bowmore, released between 2013 and 2015. Where Bowmore’s core range balances peat smoke with sea air and tropical fruit, these bottlings leaned fully into first-fill sherry casks. The first two were 10 year olds at cask strength. The third, released in 2015 without an age statement, married first-fill Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks.
The originals sold quickly at around £50 to £60 each and have been an auction staple since. That reputation is why this revival lands with weight.
We have tasted several of the original Devil’s Casks over the years, and a few bottles are still standing on our shelf. When the new releases reach us, we plan to open them side by side with the originals to see how close the 2026 interpretation comes.
The 10 Year Old: a modern tribute to the trilogy
The new 10 Year Old spends its maturation in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks before a finish in first-fill PX. That combination reads like a direct line back to the third original release, which also paired the two sherry styles.
Bottled at 56.6% and non-chill filtered, it sits close to the strength of the originals, which ran between roughly 56% and 57%.
Bowmore Devil’s Casks 10 Year Old: distillery tasting notes
- Profile: Dark fruit and fruitcake, cocoa, maple syrup, a thread of smoke throughout
- Label notes: Fruitcake, warming spice, dark fruits
- ABV: 56.6% | Casks: First-fill Oloroso, first-fill PX finish | Price: £70
Tasting notes from Bowmore. We have not yet tasted this release.
The 22 Year Old: two casks the originals left behind
This is the bottle that makes the release special. Bowmore held back two casks when the original Devil’s Casks were vatted, and those casks have now had another decade in the warehouse.
It spent 22 years in first-fill Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks before a final finish in refill Oloroso. At 59.6%, it is bottled at full cask strength, and at two casks, the outturn will be small.
Bowmore Devil’s Casks 22 Year Old: distillery tasting notes
- Profile: Charred fruit and treacle, moving into savoury salty oak and liquorice
- ABV: 59.6% | Casks: First-fill Oloroso and PX, refill Oloroso finish | Price: £380
Tasting notes from Bowmore. We have not yet tasted this release.
Why Bowmore over 20 years old is the one to watch
Bowmore at an older age is a different animal. Past the 20-year mark, the distillery’s coastal smoke softens into the background and the fruit, wax and depth come forward. That is where we think Bowmore becomes genuinely unique.
We have just tasted the two 20-year-olds from Bowmore’s Captivo Collection, created with New York design studio Snarkitecture. Sherry Cask Pursuit, the travel retail release, is a rich and deeply sherried dram that would sit perfectly next to dessert. Oak Voyage, matured in ex-bourbon casks, is lighter and more elegant, showing other sides of the spirit with less weight. Both are bottled at around 51% and priced in the same bracket as the new 22 Year Old.
If the Devil’s Casks 22 Year Old delivers the depth of Sherry Cask Pursuit at a full cask strength of 59.6%, it will be a serious bottle. For our part, the 22 Year Old is the one we will be going after.
Bowmore distillery: why the sherry matters
Bowmore sits on the shore of Loch Indaal on Islay, Scotland’s whisky island, and is the island’s oldest licensed distillery, founded in 1779. It still runs its own floor maltings, and its No. 1 Vaults is one of the oldest maturation warehouses in the world, built partly below sea level against the loch.
We have been lucky enough to walk those warehouses on a warehouse tour, and to taste three exceptional drams inside No. 1 Vaults. Standing between the casks with the sea on the other side of the wall, it is easy to see how a legend about a devil hiding in a cask took hold.
Bowmore is owned by Suntory Global Spirits. Its master blender, Dr Calum Fraser, describes the original series as one of Bowmore’s most memorable modern limited editions, where sweet dark-fruit sherry met the distillery’s peat smoke and salinity.
The Devil’s Casks is also the first step in a wider plan. Bowmore says it will revisit more celebrated expressions from its archive over the coming years, reinterpreted through its current whisky-making.
Price and availability
The Devil’s Casks is a global exclusive with The Whisky Shop, the UK’s largest specialist whisky retailer, with 22 stores and an online shop at whiskyshop.com. You can register interest in the 10 Year Old now, ahead of its release on 16 October 2026.
The 22 Year Old is offered through a ballot from 31 October 2026, open only to customers who buy the 10 Year Old. Both bottles will also be sold at the Bowmore distillery shop on Islay from 1 December 2026.
The Whisky Shop ships internationally, so readers outside the UK can try their luck online. Check delivery to your country at checkout, as allocated releases sometimes carry their own restrictions.
Is it worth it?
At £70, a 10 year old cask strength sherry bomb from Bowmore is a fair price. Bowmore knows how to handle first-fill sherry, and this should appeal to anyone who missed the originals or wants an affordable route into the series.
At £380, the 22 Year Old is a collector’s and drinker’s bottle in equal measure. It carries the provenance of the original casks and the age where Bowmore shines. The catch is access: you need to buy the 10 Year Old to enter the ballot.
We are planning to buy, and we will follow up with a full review once we have the bottles open next to the originals.
FAQ
What is Bowmore Devil’s Casks? Bowmore Devil’s Casks is a sherry cask series from Bowmore on Islay, named after a local legend of the devil escaping the village in a whisky cask. The original trilogy ran from 2013 to 2015. In October 2026 Bowmore revived it with a new 10 Year Old and a 22 Year Old from two original casks.
How much does Bowmore Devil’s Casks cost? The Bowmore Devil’s Casks 10 Year Old has an RRP of £70 for 70cl. The Devil’s Casks 22 Year Old costs £380. Both are sold through The Whisky Shop, with the 22 Year Old offered by ballot. Prices outside the UK depend on shipping, duty and local taxes.
Where can I buy Bowmore Devil’s Casks 2026? Both releases are a global exclusive with The Whisky Shop, online at whiskyshop.com and in its 22 UK stores. The 10 Year Old launches on 16 October 2026, and the 22 Year Old ballot opens on 31 October for 10 Year Old buyers. Both arrive at the Bowmore distillery shop from 1 December 2026.
What casks are used in Bowmore Devil’s Casks? The 10 Year Old is matured in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks and finished in first-fill Pedro Ximénez casks. The 22 Year Old spent 22 years in first-fill Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks before a final finish in refill Oloroso. Both are non-chill filtered and built around heavy sherry influence.
What is the difference between the Devil’s Casks 10 and 22 Year Old? The 10 Year Old is a new 2026 tribute to the original series at 56.6% ABV, with dark fruit, cocoa and maple syrup. The 22 Year Old comes from two casks held back from the original releases, bottled at cask strength of 59.6%, with charred fruit, treacle, salty oak and liquorice.
Is Bowmore Devil’s Casks cask strength? The 22 Year Old is bottled at cask strength, 59.6% ABV. The 10 Year Old is bottled at 56.6% ABV and non-chill filtered, close to the 56% to 57% strengths of the original 2013 to 2015 releases. Adding a few drops of water helps open up the sherry and fruit in both.
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