Talisker 10 year old single malt is a classic Island whisky from the Isle of Skye. Aged for a minimum of 10 years in American oak casks, this welcome member of Diageo's Classic Malts series has been recognised numerous times for its excellence. Immensely satisfying stuff, with whiffs of warm peat blending with coastal air, balanced by orchard fruit and juicy barley. A spectacular after dinner dram.
It was an Editor's Choice at Whisky Magazine, a gold medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017 and was awarded 'Best Islands Single Malt' at the 2017 World Whiskies Awards.
A fresh and fragrant nose. Through thick, pungent smoke comes sweet pear and apple peels, with pinches of maritime salt from kippers, seaweed.
It's a bonfire of peat crackling with black pepper, with a touch of brine and dry barley. A welcome delivery of orchard fruit provides a delicate and beautiful balance.
In a long finish, bonfire embers toast malt and crystallise a sugary underlay.
Put together earwax, embalming fluid and a very old antiseptic and there you have it. Also don't forget a lingering nasty aftertaste that made me wonder all evening how anybody could have there taste buds so screwed up to actually like this stuff.
When I was a student, I took up smoking a pipe. A ridiculous affectation, but whatever. While I was induling in this habit, I bought a brand of tobacco called Sobranie. Nice, but strong stuff. Well, having just downed a good measure of Talisker, I have that same taste, but without having had my lungs cleaned with brillo pads. Glace cherries it is not.
I was gifted a bottle of this recently and it's good stuff. A nice strong flavour. Wouldn't say no to another bottle.
Talisker was first introduced to me about 5 years ago when a group of us chaps were playing fiddle by the sea. We would try to describe the experience to each other as we passed around a dram between tunes and chuckles. A sheep herders moss covered dirty kilt saved from a camp fire, washed in an old iron pot on an open fire, then the scorched wool is hung up in a musky old cedar lined closet surrounded with moth balls until dry. The tattered band seemed to be all in agreement on the taste. Yet, we couldn't stop adoring the whisky until it was all gone. Now it's a favorite dram of all times.
Wow what an absolute treasure! Came into malt drinking as a fan of floral unpeated whisky, but after imbibing on the talisker 10 I feel like the floodgates have opened. Thick medicinal peat on the nose, which gives way to sweetness and spice on the palate. Lovely warming finish, I'm off to grab a bottle for the cabinet!
