Talisker Skye

I dont have a lot fo experience when it comes to Single Malt.. but i am quite familiar what is the bad taste and which is isn't.

I heard this brand from a friend who enjoy having whisky every now and then- and when i got invited into another Friends house , asking me which i want to try in his Whisky shelves. I hurriedly pointed out the Talisker Skye . Oh Boy..really the old saying to "each his own" is defined with this bottle. The smell..the taste..the entry..the palate and the finish- this is it..this is the one for me i said in all excitement..everything about this particular whisky..I LIKE ! and this will always be a part of my collection-an introduction to a budding Whisk(e)y lover ;)

20th August 2018

A bold whiskey with strong spicy peat and salt ocean taste. Not for the faint hearted and definitely not too everyone’s taste. Wonderful.

28th July 2018

My wife brought me back a bottle from her stay on Skye. Way too much iodine for my taste.
Peter
Queensland Australia

8th July 2018

Stick with age statement whiskies. A lot of this is probably younger than 10 years. I tend to avoid NOS whiskies because I want matured and rounder spirit that doesn't burn too much. If you are on a tight budget, this is a way to get ok smoky flavor. Talisker only put this out because there's a lot of demand. Save it for the Chinese who can have this one, because they mostly care about brand label and not content and please, Diageo, save your mature whisky for the Western markets.

2nd June 2018

Slightly sweeter than I expected. Still has enough spicy flavours to be interesting. I would definitely buy again to change things up from my usual favourites.

30th May 2018

I love the Talisker 10
If you like the 10, dont buy this one.

26th February 2018

If you like Talisker Storm or 10, you’ll like this - it’s a variation on that theme, albeit not as smoky and a little sweeter.

Those giving it 0 or 1 star are being a little hysterical; it’s a nice Scotch and exactly what you’d expect from Talisker.

I paid £26 which is a bit of a bargain. Next time I’d pay a bit more and go for the Storm or the 10 (or back to Laphroaig 10), but this is very drinkable.

20th February 2018

It is a strong and very peaty whisky.
If you don't enjoy laphroaig, this is NOT for you. I love it. Added to some cheap Bells on a 3 part bells to 1 part Tali, it adds massively to the experience for a fraction of the cost of other posh whiskies

20th February 2018

Cannot drink this it tastes vile!!! I drink alot of malt with age to them but this is equivalent to being splashed with surgical spirit.

3rd February 2018

Warm and smokey with underlying toastiness and a kick. If you like Islay style peaty scotch you'll like this. My only complaint it isn't as smooth as top whiskies but then it probably has not been in a cask for over 8 years.

25th January 2018

In the noise it smells like hospital tcp! On the Tongue it tastes like I’ve just licked a hospital floor after it has just been mopped with tcp and old whiskey

20th January 2018

On tasting my first dram of Talisker Skye the tip of my young sizzled in a way I wasn't sure I liked, I really thought I had made the wrong choice. I persevered though and once I "learned" to drink this properly I grew to really enjoy the spicy smokey flavour and the tingle on the tongue. Deep and complex, stick with it!

19th January 2018

very deep complex taste, fruity with vanilla flavor, a real highlight of a Sabbath evening,
7,5 on my 0 to 10 scale

18th January 2018

Bought this for a new year treat but am struggling to drink it...absolutely ghastly. Will give it a wide berth in future.

2nd January 2018

It's not too bad. The smell is lovely, initially tastes wonderful, but does leave a vicious aftertaste on the tongue. I paid £25 so I can't complain, and, it's a nice whiskey, but if you want better then you pay more in my opinion. For a single malt, it's damn fine.

25th December 2017

Not very impressed.. Had my first glass yesterday and thought it horrible.. But today it's a little better..it's quite rough and has a after taste of pear drops.. But it's beginning to grow on me...if your new to single malts? Don't go near it..but up a snowy mountain with a gale blowing! It might be the best choice? This is a working man's whisky! It's got muscle..

24th December 2017

Do not buy!

23rd December 2017

Ok, this has worst finish I have ever tasted in a single malt.. The overpowering peaty dry taste at the end is awful... Even dampened or with a ice cube it was still painful to drink... I offered this my 66 year old Father and his drinking buddies, guess what they still struggling get through the bottle and all agree with out prompting have the same complaint as I do.

13th December 2017

I've had this a couple of times lately, as it was on at a decent price and I have to say I found it quite nice.

I'm not seeking to damn it with faint praise. I am an Ardbeg man through and through and yet I found this to be pleasant, if a little insubstantial, and without that chemical taste some attest to.

I think it is very likely that is a genetic factor. I for one, can not only smell asparagus pee, but process it very quickly, so the smallest amount turns me into the dark Luke Skywalker at the porcelain wall.

So yes, it's not great, but it's not bad and as I cannot drink blended scotch and won't pay over £20 for an ordinary Irish, it makes this a good low-rent option to have on the shelf.

Anyone who disagrees is welcome to their opinion and I raise a glass and bow to your greater knowledge.

11th December 2017

Picked up on special offer, hoping for a poor man's 10 yo. Bargain at the price, but lacks any real depth and richness. There's a bit of smoke and spice there, but while it's not as naff as some of the NAS's going around, it still doesn't quite convince me that this is a serious whisky in it's own right, and not just another marketing ploy. Visit the Tallisker distillery and you'll see that the whole place has sadly gone down that route. It's not a 'bad' tipple, and I'll happily see the bottle through, but I would not rush out to replace it. The 10 year is still one of the benchmarks, and well worth the extra £££.

3rd December 2017

Smells like smoky turf and tastes like TCP. Maybe be an acquired taste or an expensive mistake.

1st December 2017

Interesting how this one really splits the crowd so strongly between love and hate. Maybe it is a genetic thing like others suggest, because I don't get any chemical unpleasantness at all, just an interesting medium bodied whisky with a nice balance of toffee, smoke, spice, fruit and sea salt. A good whisky for under £30, great for under £25. But that's me - you might hate it, maybe try before buying and finding out the hard way which camp you fall in.

29th November 2017

To me it tastes far too sweet - cloying, sickly, thoroughly unpleasant. As if they mixed some saccharine in with the whisky before bottling it. My first Talisker and probably my last.

9th November 2017

A very odd Talisker. I was looking forward to this as I have loved everything Talisker has produced over the years....especially the 18yr old...however this left me feeling very disappointed. Pleasant at first with the usual Talisker depth and smokiness, but followed up with a terribly dry, acidic harsh fennel finish. I can only think that this was an attempt to create a modern and 'interesting' malt but to me tastes like a cheap knock-off product...i will still be buying Talisker...just definitely not this one. Ever again.

3rd November 2017

Good

23rd August 2017

I got 15 bottles in 6 weeks

8th August 2017

Well from Islands but definitely deserves another 5 stars. Normally I'll be give 4 or 4,5 but because of malcontents no doubt 5.

14th July 2017

Great whisky for Islay lovers. Quality one.

14th July 2017

Just trying this and I found the same awful chemical taste some others have described. I reckon this is a physiological (genetic?) artefact - some people taste it and others do not (for info Google why some people can't smell asparagus pee). Looking at the dates of review it's difficult to say if it might be a batch issue. Interested to see if Talisker investigate this phenomenon.

21st May 2017

I think the negative reviews comes from envyfull competitors:) Stop that irrelevant talking abt others products. If like that - users can not use the reviews. I am a user! A deeply satisfying fresh, yet with tasty deep finish. It got a silver medal. To the price, superb

13th May 2017

Taste of coast. Very nice. One of the best.

13th April 2017

The smell was lovely, the taste however. A bit chemically. I found no depth at all, Not to my taste at all. I gave it to my neighbour and he enjoyed it. He loves Glenfiddich and it reminded him of that.

19th March 2017

Exactly like the 10, only less gutts and more for beginners. If you like the 10, dont buy this one. If you find the 10 i bit too much, you'll like this one. A bit overprived.

14th March 2017

Initially honey, pepper & slightly medicinal, it dances on your tongue. This gives way to strong smoke & oak casks, which lingers. A superb expression of Talisker. #recommended

6th March 2017

I'm no expert but I think this is a very enjoyable whisky. At £25 a bottle it's not much more expensive than some very ordinary tipples. However, it's all highly subjective as the widely differing ratings show!

19th February 2017

I'm no expert but I think this is a very enjoyable whisky. At £25 a bottle it's not much more expensive than some very ordinary tipples. However, it's all highly subjective as the widely differing ratings show!

19th February 2017

Really unusual dram. Talisker signature palate, less some peat and white pepper. Not too bad. The finish is EXTREMELY drying, and sharpens to a point of pure toasted fennel seeds, almost like crunching one! Not sure I like spice quite enough to not be weirded out by this dram.

2nd February 2017

Most whiskeys play nice and safe, keeping within a risk free comfort zone of flavour. But this is a bold whiskey experience, distinctive and therefore memorable.

2nd February 2017

I've enjoyed many a Talisker - and have even been quite evangelical about the 18 year old. But the Skye variant tastes like something you should be cleaning the bathroom with. It's like whisky flavoured drain cleaner.

19th January 2017

At the ripe old age of 50, Id like to think I know my way around a good whiskey, but hadn't cottoned on to the NAS trend. The only reason I know about it now is through researching why this Talisker, which was a gift from my mother in law, god bless her, is such a let down: synthetic, harsh and totally bereft of subtlety (the whisky, and also the mother in law, coincidentally). I hadn't noticed the lack of age statement before, if this is typical of the trend, I'll be sure to specify my gifts more carefully in the future. Clearly inferior to the 10yo. And not especially cheap.

11th January 2017

If this dram was your mistress and say Highland Park was your wife.... well run to the mistress but stay with the wife... yes very exciting and masterful this Tally version beauty is.

26th December 2016

Just had a bottle for christmas tastes like antiseptic and can't give it away

25th December 2016

I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination but I tried this together with two friends who do know a bit about whisky...aargh ..we all thought it was awful, a taste I can only describe as like drinking anti septic...sorry talisker

24th December 2016

I am not a sophisticated whisky drinker but I have recently discovered the delights of some single malts (discounted for Christmas!). This one is an absolute delight and I thoroughly enjoyed my first glass. The taste is exactly as described in the more considered reviews. A very pleasant experience.

14th December 2016

Not sure why this scotch has picked up 3.5 stars. I picked up a bottle at duty free at Heathrow last summer and after my first taste I knew I'd have to ration myself. Sweet, crisp, a bit salt and pepper, definitely a bit of vanilla and caramel. Nothing wrong with this one at all. Just finished the bottle and now I'm on a mission for more.

29th November 2016

Spicy, orange, sea salt, tar, light honey and vanilla. You found quite some smokiness at the end as well. Fairly strong taste of alcohol at first but you still feel the sweetness from the oranges together with some spiciness. Then comes a light smoky flavor that lingers, also more orange to come. Tried to add some water but no it didn't make it better, this is a whisky with potential but it's not ready for the market yet.

28th November 2016

As someone who prefers big peaty flavours I have been pleasantly surprised by Talisker Skye. It perfectly balances the smoke and seaspray with a lovely burnt Apple sweetness that is compelling. Great value too if you get it from a Supermarket and preferable to Highland Park and Laphroig.

9th November 2016

Great, I was given a bottle of this by a well meaning friend, I confess I didn't pay much attention to the label, after all its Talisker. How wrong I was, I'm no connoisseur but Talisker has always been something of a favorite, one of the few I was happy to drink without a dash of water. I found this version was harsh and unsubtle. The sad thing is I shall now have to tell my family and friends not to buy me Talisker as there's a very good chance they won't study the detail of the label. Such a great shame.

4th November 2016

Serious smoke and iodine with sweet toffee developing into a white pepper almost chilli heat finish takes a bit of getting used to with the hot finish but certainly a very welcome talisker.

7th August 2016

Fair as an entry level, but the Talisker 10 is cheaper and more complex, a better option. Less peat, citrusy, some salt. Short finish, still sweet.

30th June 2016

Not really what I expect from Talisker. It’s drinkable, but that shouldn’t be how I feel about a bottle of Talisker. Little punch. Little flavour. Unfortunately it’s an increasing trend.

Whether it’s because the industry can’t keep up with global demand or just that they want to milk the market, this seems like another example of a year-less entry level bottle (like Macallan, Glenlivet etc) which slightly sullies the brand.

If the industry keeps churning out unimaginative and bland stuff like this, they’re not going to hook the next generation with the stunning, mind boggling flavours that enthralled me 30ish years ago. Scotch whisky has survived over 150 years on the quality of its product and I worry that that they are foregoing that quality to meet demand, relying on ‘celebrities’ drinking the stuff in publicity shots. But ultimately, they’ll have no defence when the core of their market fall away as the product, including this one, just ain’t up to it.

11th June 2016

Smooth given its strength (46%), but lacking in flavour to my taste. It's on the fruity side and doesn't have much peat, so it's fairly easy to drink, but for my money there are many better whiskies for less. On the flavourful side I'd take Highland Park 12, while Balvenie Doublewood is nicer on the sweet and smooth end. Basically this is a little bland and not worth the £25 I paid in Sainsburys, let alone the £38+ that some places charge. Sainsburys own Taste the Difference was a lot more interesting and just as smooth for £18.

24th May 2016

I've got this bottle from my colleagues in my birthday party at the office...

The nose keeps toffees and vanilla. It's sweet and honey. Coast and a discreet smoke, and as The Caps at Master of Malt has written; perhaps just hints of a sweet Caol Ila.

Honeyed toasted oak, yes, some pepper and smoke. A coastal theme. A wave of apple and dried apricots that reminds me of the wave of taste in the Old Pulteney 21 Year Old, my Christmas whisky in 2015.

Talisker Skye is a punchy enough because of its respectable 45.8% abv, but it's also smooth. It's a NAS whisky, but quite complex and well-balanced.

Drying and spicy finish whit sweet spice and some smoke. Medium length.

I think some very hard fans of the Talisker 10 Year Old would rate down this whisky as a kind of enemy, but my opinion is that the Talisker Skye is a little bit better... Buy it and try it!

15th April 2016

I was very pleasantry surprised by this malt; taste is very subjective but with experience of good malts you can improve your palate and appreciation. I enjoyed this malt either straight or with a little water and recommend it for those with a discerning nose. Take time to savour the nose and taste. I fear some reviewers may need a little more education.

29th March 2016

Ich trinke seit anfange der 1990 Jahre Talisker sein einmaliger Geschmack ist noch da Wunder schön Leicht rauchick ich freue mich immer Ab und zu Einen Talisker zu Trinken (Weiterso)

29th March 2016

I really enjoy the NAS Taliskers. Comparing the standard NAS bottles I actually prefer the nose on the Skye compared to 10yo and the finish on the Storm is out of this world. I would still opt for the 10yo based on balance but I think the Skye is fantastic and just pips Storm on the whole.

19th March 2016

I purchased a bottle of this for my husbands 63rd Birthday this January. We looked forward to the opening of this bottle as the packaging was quite delightful but the drink is absolutely awful. We had one measure each and we both found it unpalatable. There is an awful after taste that I can only describe as that of white spirit. We then decided to try it with cola to try and disguise the taste and even that didn't work and it tainted the glasses. We are now stuck with a bottle of this and don't know what to do with it. Fortunately I got this as a discounted price of GBP19 from Morrisons but can not take it back as it has been opened. Never again, my husband likes his malts, although we are no connoisseur's, but can distinguish between something that is palatable and something that is not. I would not recommend this to anyone.

6th February 2016

A great one. I bought it without noticing that it wasn't the 10 years old, but it is at the same level of quality, tried both same night and I can't tell a difference.. Talisker was always one of my favorite whiskeys, I love peated - smoked whiskeys, and I don't believe that Lagavulin deserves the extra money, I like them the same..
I have a small bar and all the customers that tried it, where astonished..

28th January 2016

If buying a Talisker from this page then get the 10 year old. The NAS stuff is getting out of hand! I don't mind a young whisky if the age statement is there. Look at Kilchoman! Talisker, this is a poor show, stick an age statement on this bottle and have the bloody decency to charge accordingly!

28th January 2016

This whisky is a good budget whisky from a supermarket but £38 is a rip off when it is available at £25 in many supermarkets? It is ashy an immature. With time in the glass it can be very fruity on the nose with a big peppery punch in sack on the palate, it is actually okay. However, it dies in the glass after about 20 minutes and it needs a moderate but precise amount of water. Just too little water and it will be like sandpaper on the tongue. Just too much and you'll drown it. If you can get it cheap then try it once for curiosity's sake. This is a very interesting whisky, but it is quite frankly, young, and a bit of a con from Talisker. It has a taste like they have used rubbish casks for the most part and then gave it a big beefy finish in both first fill or refill bourbon and sherry casks. The maturation is just messy. The spirit does taste a bit rough and you'll find it on the finish with that nasty ash taste. This whisky is only saved by the grace of Talisker's still quality. The spirit, despite being rushed, still has that real fruity profile that you don't get in older Talisker. I suggest people buy it once, and never again.

28th January 2016

The best you can hope to get in that price range, better than a lot of more expensive whisky.

20th January 2016

I always keep one of these..drink it often...it really is exceptional...vanilla and pepper...top quality anytime ...as expected of talisker

17th January 2016

I've loved Talisker ever since I visited the distillery back in the 80's. This whisky has that wonderful Talisker smokiness and peatiness but with perhaps a little less of that medicinal quality and with a lovely balanced sweetness. I love it!

15th January 2016

I probably drink a bit too much, but only ever had a glug of this, it's all you need, beginning to understand real taste

11th January 2016

In itself (which is what any whisky should really be judged as) it's very good, sweet, smoky and warming. But, for fans of the 10 y.o like myself, it's like a 'little brother', nearly, but not quite. Well worth a try and will certainly appeal, but I can't help feeling for the extra 10 quid or whatever, I could be drinking the real thing.

9th January 2016

very bad taste

8th January 2016

Absolutely beautiful, I've always been a big fan of talisker and talisker Sky doesn't dissapoint. Thank you all.

5th January 2016

Got a bottle for Christmas.

Found it overpoweringly undrinkable.

3rd January 2016

Taste is subjective, always will be. I ended up with this after my partner and friend spent a week in Skye and brought it back from it's home. I thought well OK its a single malt and they hadn't a clue anyway, and but I will pretend I like it.

I didn't have to pretend. This has something and is a diamond in the rough.

I bought a case

23rd December 2015

I read the criticism and was a little concerned having bought a bottle. However whoever wrote the negative reviews I would question their whiskey credentials. A rich and full bodied rewarding whiskey. Great

22nd December 2015

Quite unpleasant and pointless. Luckily I got it at a massively reduced price (and therefore was expecting it to be a bit crap).

18th December 2015

is this Whisky worth drinking or should I try and sell it?!?!?!?!?!??!

16th December 2015

Was brought this as a gift. I'm a seasoned whisky drinker and I was delighted with this! Reminds me a little of Bowmore Darkest Sherry Cask. Has real spicy notes much more smoother and delicate than the raspy usual peaty Talisker! Well done!

8th December 2015

Really liked and as someone else mentioned, it seems to get more enjoyable with each dram. Nice whisky.

13th November 2015

As a newbie to whiskey, this had complex flavors that grew on me with each dram. Definitely not boring or weak.

13th November 2015

Retains all of the essence of a Talisker but with a lovely sweetness. Still peppery, still smoky and, unusually, a more oily mouth feel erring toward a Caol Ila. £27 well spent and highly recommended.

11th November 2015

Loved it

24th October 2015

I brought a bottle of Skye for my Husband who turned 60 recently. He always goes for the peaty malts, like Bowmore, Laphroaig. I was a bit concerned when I read the reviews. However, I need not have been as he loves it, said its his favourite, different to the others and improves as you slowly empty your glass. Just brought him another bottle.

27th August 2015

Wouldn't drink this again, taste like cigarette buts and has a disgusting after taste also isn't nice once it hits your stomach and just doesn't sit well.
Quite a disappointment for a single malt or a realiser range.

27th August 2015

Oh dear. I love Talisker 10 year, and, splashed out on this one on trust. Found it totally different and unacceptable to my palate. Did not agree with me at all.

21st July 2015

Thin, too short storage and bad casks time makes this a dull whisky.
Nothing like the usual Talisker

14th July 2015

Very disappointed in the Skye bottling was hoping for something half decent but it was sadly lacking. I don't care for peaty ones and find the 10 year a bit too peaty for me but the 18!infind excellant. Had to look up NAS and at least understand roughly what the argument is about. Nick listens according to a blog I read and for me it's the taste NAS does not mean nothing if I don't like it. Skye I won't be buying again. 12 yo Glenlivet, Highland Park 18 Talisker and Auchentoshan are ones I will always buy and there are loads of others that I have tried but price dictates what I will buy in the end Nick so please don't forget that point. If struggling I will still drink a Bells if I have to but much prefer those above not them sweetie excuses.

27th June 2015

Wish I had found this at £26 as I would be way too busy to be writing this and out buying more, just accept that it is not the 10 year old and that NAS single malt is here to stay. Why bother? Because I don't care about age, colour, packaging, reputation of a distillery, just good whisky and while there are some overpriced and poor whisky in the NAS range this is not one of them & nobody is making you buy it! Retains the classic Talisker salt, pepper & spicy peat for me and a well priced intro to the distillery. Young does not mean it's not good & light does not mean lightweight, try a whisky on its individual merits and stop getting your malty knickers in a twist! The Whisky Flaneur

21st May 2015

OK, I admit that I bought this to try it - paying £26 locally, so I'm not that crazy. However, my overriding feeling is why bother with this .... and why produce it in the first place. In my opinion, we're seeing far too many NAS whiskies coming out with names like Storm, Skye, Legacy, Legend, Founders Reserve, Ceobanach etc, full of evocative descriptions and asking us to pay more (usually) that the definitive 10 or 12yo. Some, like OP Navigator, are pretty fine drams admittedly, but others, like this Talisker Skye aren't really worth buying. Even the wording on the box/bottle is as vague as the outline of the Cuillin in mist. What are the producers trying to achieve? What will next versions be called? Talisker Cuillin? Talisker Bla Bheinn? Or Talisker Mealladh (Gaelic for deception!)So, I've bought this bottle and I'll drink it and enjoy it well enough but it will always leave a slightly bitter taste, metaphorically speaking, and I'll not buy another. Maybe we should all blame Macallan for all this nonsense: first it was Fine Oak (because good sherry casks were so expensive although they were making out otherwise) and then it was getting rid of age statement altogether and asking us to pay more depending upon the depth of the colour. By that thinking, Glendronach 12yo would be £100 and the excellent Glencadam 10yo would be £10. I suppose the producers are only getting away with it because the punters are buying .... the hype.

6th April 2015

Mellow as far as Talisker goes but still a great dram for the price. I'll be buying another bottle very soon.

2nd April 2015

There are enough brilliant NAS whiskies out there (as well as some distinctly average ones with an age statement) to prove the naysayers wrong. As a talisker fan (10, 18, 57 degrees north and distillers edition are all currently in the cupboard) I think it fits in the range well. The reduction in peat highlights the other talisker characteristics (pepper, sea salt) where as the increased sweetness serves to further differentiate it from the 10. It definitely warrants a taste before deciding that it isn't any good because it doesn't fit with the concept of what you think good whisky is.

21st March 2015

Talisker with a twist!Not your normal Talisker with usual hot spice. Smokeiness Subdued and a lot more sweetness, fruit (pears and apples), and even citrus notes on the nose. On the palate, this is more usual of Talisker with hot spices, pepper,smoke (volcanic brimstone and fire!!), but with sweet roasted peppers as well. Overall, a lovely dram, and a gentle introduction to the Taliker range, as my usual choice is the 18 year old or Distillers Edition.

3rd March 2015

Buy the 10yo and bask in its supreme glory

25th February 2015

Why does Diageo try to fool us, again? Get the good bottle(s) Talisker 10YO while still available

18th February 2015

This whisky might be decent, but this is not a good sign for the beloved 10 Year Old. This NAS trend is getting out of hand. If you love a good value and a nice honest age statement, buy the 10 Year Old.

11th February 2015