The No.1 Vaults

Maturation may be the last stage in the whisky making process, but it's also one of the most important. Bowmore's warehouse, the No. 1 Vaults, provides the perfect conditions - damp, cold and dark. Here, the New Make Spirit is carefully filled into casks. The precise selection of casks has a profound effect on the final character of the whisky, so much so that Bowmore invests four times the industry average in wood.

• Bowmore's legendary No. 1 Vaults is the oldest maturation warehouse in Scotland and the only one below sea level.
• Single malt is too delicate to be aged in new oak casks, so used casks are used instead.
• American bourbon casks impart a characteristic vanilla flavour.
• Ex-sherry casks have the most dramatic effect, lending the maturing spirit sherry flavours, a heavier body and deep amber colour.
• If you know where to look, you'll find casks going all the way back to 1957.