Foreign Whisky of the Month - 08/2013: Talisker

[Virus_Of_Life]

By a vote of the people, the Foreign Whisky of the Month is Talisker.

My first love of Single Malt Scotch, well that and Ardbeg Uigeadail were hand in hand. I will be cracking open a Storm here soon and will give my impressions.

[weller_tex]

Laphraoaig was likely my first love..Talisker quickly became my favorite. There just isn't any other Single Malt like it. The 18 year is my absolute favorite by that got so hard to find I kind of gave up. Now I can find it but it is $130 a bottle..I'll just stick to $60 for the 10. I did get to try a dram of Talisker 25 at the Ardbeg Whisky Bar in Stockholm..that was just heavenly!

I also like the Distiller's Editions, and I was one of the few it seems who really liked the 175th Anniversary edition. I 'd love to try Storm and 57 North but have not been able to find them..

[squire]

The King O' whiskys, long may he reign.

[RVTsteve]

This is one, of many, I haven't tried yet but seems like I should have! The entry price has kept me away despite good reviews. Anyone had the Isle of Skye 12 year? More my speed when getting introduced to a style or region. Either way Talisker is definitely on my radar now.

[tanstaafl2]

The 18 was a favorite even before I started trying to expand my whisky horizons but has started to price itself out of range for a regular purchase. The 10 is certainly nice but a bit wanting if you have an addiction to the 18! I also have one of the Distillers Editions I need to try and just recently picked up a couple of 175th Anniversary bottles that I need to try.

[AaronWF]

I am a recent Talisker convert. The bartender at my sometime lunch spot poured me the 10yo a few months ago and I enjoyed it. I've gone back to it a number of times, and everytime I do, my fondness for it grows. It really is totally unique, with that salty sweet maltiness balanced with a fresh minerality, and no slouch in the smoke department too! It's a little on the sweet side for me, but it has great character, and it has really grown on me.

I also picked up the DE a month or two ago. It did not last long! The Amaroso finish complements the profile perfectly, while also keeping the character entirely intact. At $75 it's not something I'm going to keep around all the time, but it's definitely something I don't want to be without for too long. Also, at that price, I don't mind guzzling it a bit, too.

Talisker also gets points with me for bottling its standard releases at the higher abv of 45.8%. All in all, a very classy and sophisticated malt. One of these days I'll cough up the dough for the 18yo, though I'm far more likely to track down a taste of it at a bar than spend $100 on a bottle.

[tanstaafl2]

Talisker also gets points with me for bottling its standard releases at the higher abv of 45.8%. All in all, a very classy and sophisticated malt. One of these days I'll cough up the dough for the 18yo, though I'm far more likely to track down a taste of it at a bar than spend $100 on a bottle.

At this point I would be pretty happy to find it at $100! Seems like it is more in the $120 and up range now. And no doubt will continue to go up over time given current trends.

[portwood]

Talisker also gets points with me for bottling its standard releases at the higher abv of 45.8%.

One of very few "entry level" single malts to be so bottled. Though most people like to bash Diageo they deserve praise for keeping Taliskers above the bare minimum 40%.

There are better (more complex) single malts out there but every whisk(e)y drinker should own at least one Talisker 10 at some point. It is a stepping stone whisky along with the likes of Glenmorangie 10, Glenlivet/Glenfiddich/Macallan/Highland Park 12 year olds

[Wall Eye]

I've only been a student of the dark side for a few years now, and I'm still at the point of evaluating new bottles' price/performance as I try more. It hurts to spend a lot and not get the quality you expect - and that's easy to do.

So far, I've invested $75 in a DE (it didn't last long) and recently spent $100 for the 18 - and I have to say that I felt like I got every bit of my money's worth with both. And there are a lot of scotches - both more and less expensive - that I can't say the same about.

Too much $ to be daily drams, but excellent whisky to be sure..

[WAINWRIGHT]

I have to agree with the general consensus that all in the line are well priced for what's in the bottles,the price on the 10 is bit high in relative terms considering the 18yr. is real gem for under $100.I enjoy the peppered smokiness that I find unique to Talisker bottlings and really have never been disappointed with any expression across the board.

When fall rolls in there is always some form of Lagavulin,Ardbeg and Talisker open at my house as it's great to have a contrast in profiles of these big three ready and waiting.

[ChainWhip]

I *ALWAYS* have a bottle of Talisker open in my home. It's really one of my first whisky loves (along with Ardbeg) and while the big "A" has taken a bit of a dive as of late, Tali has pretty much been a consistent winner for me. The peppery sweet/brine/smoky malt just sings in the glass - I need to find more of the 18yr at the old price though.

Here's what I'm drinking tonight:

May have to crack open the 25yr that's been waiting patiently in the wings...

[LostBottle]

C-dub, post up a porn pic of your 25. It's FWOTM, flaunt that $#!t, we all want to see it. I really want to see someone post photos/tasting notes of the 35 ....man, I would kill for a bottle of that. Does anyone know why they decided not to release it in the US?

Edited August 4, 2013 by LostBottle

[ChainWhip]

C-dub, post up a porn pic of your 25. It's FWOTM, flaunt that $#!t, we all want to see it. I really want to see someone post photos/tasting notes of the 35 ....man, I would kill for a bottle of that. Does anyone know why they decided not to release it in the US?

Here she is...

[LostBottle]

That 25yo is a beauty, I bet she'll look even better with her top off.

[weller_tex]

That 25yo is a beauty, I bet she'll look even better with her top off.

[ChainWhip]

That 25yo is a beauty, I bet she'll look even better with her top off.

Such a tease...

[ChainWhip]

So I find the 25 much sweeter & with dried fruit while the peppery notes take a little of a back seat (but still there) compared to the standard 10 or 18. More black tea notes too (I'm starting to think that what I sense as black tea others equate to OAK/WOOD) and the smoke strings it all together in the baseline - I'd love to have this @ cask strength but a lovely expression nonetheless... Glad I was able to pick up a few of these bottles @ less than the current 18 prices.

[HighInTheMtns]

So I find the 25 much sweeter & with dried fruit while the peppery notes take a little of a back seat (but still there) compared to the standard 10 or 18. More black tea notes too (I'm starting to think that what I sense as black tea others equate to OAK/WOOD) and the smoke strings it all together in the baseline - I'd love to have this @ cask strength but a lovely expression nonetheless... Glad I was able to pick up a few of these bottles @ less than the current 18 prices.

Wow, that's a great deal for less than the 18!

[ChainWhip]

Did a vertical tonight @ LB's place of 10, 18, 25yr drams:

The 18 was my favorite tonight but the 10 held its own. The 25 was good too but as it's freshly popped, it probably has a little time to go open up (wish it was bottled cask strength).

[WhiskyRI]

Wow @chainwhip that is a very nice collection. I poured a little of my Talisker 18 last night and what I find I like so much is the mouthfeel and lingering taste. The dram sticks around in your mouth and every time you move your tongue there is another little burst of flavor. But as much as I like the 18 once my stash is gone I'm not sure I'll be able to afford to replace. Hence I reach for the 10 most of the time.

[ChainWhip]

@WhiskyRI

It's cool having SBrs to pool resources, share drams and conversation with! LostBottle supplied the 18 and as you say, the flavors really do keep coming in waves.

[tanstaafl2]

Looks like fun! Need to add a Talisker 175th Anniversary and perhaps a couple of Distiller Editions to the tasting for some variety! Interesting that they put the 25yo in darker glass.

Did a vertical tonight @ LB's place of 10, 18, 25yr drams:

The 18 was my favorite tonight but the 10 held its own. The 25 was good too but as it's freshly popped, it probably has a little time to go open up (wish it was bottled cask strength).

[ChainWhip]

Looks like fun! Need to add a Talisker 175th Anniversary and perhaps a couple of Distiller Editions to the tasting for some variety! Interesting that they put the 25yo in darker glass.

I have a 57degN in the bunker somewhere but didn't feel like spring cleaning my storage area to excavate it out ;-)

LB said the same exact thing about the 25yr bottle.

[AaronWF]

So what's the deal with the 175th Ann? Looks like it was released in '05. I happened to run into one on the shelf the other day at a store with high prices. They had it for somewhere in the $115-$130 range (I think). Any notes on it?

[tanstaafl2]

So what's the deal with the 175th Ann? Looks like it was released in '05. I happened to run into one on the shelf the other day at a store with high prices. They had it for somewhere in the $115-$130 range (I think). Any notes on it?

I am not great with notes but I find it a bit sweeter and a little more "mellow" than the 18yo. Not quite as much smoke or pepper. But somewhere in the back of the palate I pick up what I presume to be some of the older whisky in the blend. Heavy and sophisticated and very well balanced to me.

Somebody put some real thought into the blend of whiskies that were used and it all seems to work. The bottles I found were about $100 and with the 18 at $120+ and heading higher it seems like a nice alternative if you can find it at a decent price.