Talisker NAS, Diageo Special Releases 2023

All four of the preceding Diageo Special Release reviews were of age-stated whiskies. Sadly, this Talisker was not given an age by its parent company, so one can only assume it's a wee babe. A wee babe finished in white, tawny, and ruby port casks. 😐

Between the Skye, Storm, and Port Ruighe, Diageo seems committed to ruining one of their best distillery's whisky. On the other hand, I've always enjoyed the Distillers Editions. So, I'll give this creation a try...

Distillery: Talisker

Ownership: Diageo

Region: Isle of Skye

Age: minimum 3 years
Bottling year: 2023
Maturation: First round: ???; Second round: white, tawny, and ruby port casks
Outturn: ?????
Alcohol by Volume: 59.7%
Chillfiltered? probably not
e150a? probably not
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

An aggressive perfume-y soap note floods the nose. Behind that? Blue raspberry candy, fig jam, and dark chocolate. It gets more coastal with time, but the perfume note never fully dissipates. It's a young mezcal-ish Talisker on the palate, but it's more complex than the average baby Tali. It's mossy and salty with hints of orange, lime, and tart berries. Not too hot and no perfume. It finishes salty, mossy, acidic, and peppery.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1¾ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The perfume-y soap remains in the nose, albeit in the midground. Peat lives up front. With vanilla, ginger ale, and mezcal in the back. The palate feels simple but focused. Sooty, vegetal mezcal with salt and pepper. It finishes salty, peppery, and sooty.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The nose is a problem, but the palate is not. It's still very young, but better than all those immature single cask mezcals Taliskers, so the casks did their work without turning it syrupy sweet. Perhaps the winter would have been a better time to try this peaty critter. If you don't trust this particular sample, please see see Mr. Opinions's and Mr. Fun's reviews for different takes.

Availability - Still available in Europe
Pricing - $125-$175
Rating - 79

Talisker 10 year old: six batches across 20 years

Talisker's early history was a bit bumpy. In the 1820s, the MacAskill brothers bought a piece of land on Skye, then set about booting all of the rural renters off the property, Clearance-style. They built Talisker distillery in 1830, but the poor jerks couldn't figure out the business, filing for bankruptcy in 1848 and turning the distillery over to the bank. Donald MacLennan bought the distillery, then sold it ten years later when he couldn't turn a profit. The new owner, John Anderson, lasted all of twelve years before he went to prison for fraud. Robert Kemp, one of the next co-owners, only stayed on for twelve years as well, choosing instead to buy some distillery called "Macallan". In 1898, Talisker ownership merged with Dailuaine and Imperial. This lasted less than 18 years when the owner died and Distillers Company Limited took over. DCL → UD → Diageo has run Talisker ever since.

Though the distillery's ownership has remained stable for nearly a century, Talisker has seen changes. Triple distillation was discontinued in 1928, the distillery burst into flames in 1960, on-site malting ended in 1972 and in 1988, Talisker 10 year old was born as part of United Distillers' Classic Malts series.

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This Taste Off has been a long time coming. Talisker 10 and I go back about 18 years. And that's been a long 18 years. But the whisky has survived, and apparently so have I. Over the past eight years I've had a suspicion that the whisky's quality has sunk. Or my palate has shifted dramatically. Or both.

With this same curiosity and concern I compared three bottlings of Talisker 18 year old, back in 2020. Not only did that Taste Off prove my point, but I was able to hypothesize what had happened to the whisky over the years. Three years before that writeup, I compared seven batches of Ardbeg Ten, and I fairly enjoyed that experience. May this Taste Off find the best elements of both of those posts!

Here's the lineup:

1. 1990s Map Label, brown bottle, US release - From a very healthy bottle split.
2. 2001 bottling, Stone Label, L15T03328098 - My bottle, about 1/3 of the way down.
3. 2009 bottling, from the ol' blue box - Bottle split!
4. 2012 bottling, end of the ol' blue box era, L2107CM000 - My bottle, originally reviewed in 2014.
5. 2015 bottling, Made by the Sea era, L5224CM000 - Sample courtesy of one Florin.
6. 2019 bottling, Made by the Sea era, L9023 - My 200mL bottle.

A technical note: For the purposes of this tasting, I am opening both windows behind me. As with the consumption of Springbank's single malts, the drinking of Talisker goes best with fresh air. And it is raining.

THE NOSES

Whisky	Notes
Map Label (1990s)	Smoked salmon, uncooked uncured bacon and ocean water. Green grapes, honeydew, newspaper print. Hints of toffee pudding and mesquite.
L15T03328098 (2001)	Possibly the smokiest of the group. Smoked almonds, smoky bacon and burnt grass. Ocean water, fresh sage and green bell peppers. With time it develops a combo of dark chocolate and berries.
L9 (2009)	Oh dear. Plastic siding in the summer + mesquite chips + white peaches + mint leaves. Green apples, milk chocolate and a hint of fresh herbs drift through the background.
L2107CM000 (2012)	The loudest nose. Mezcal, apple skins and serrano oil up front. Nutritional yeast and saline in the middle. Lemons and fish in the background.
L5224CM000 (2015)	Bologna (the "meat", not the place) meets heavily charred veg. Mesquite ashes, horseradish and dry soil. It gets ashier with time, while picking up notes of raw cocoa and black walnuts.
L9023 (2019)	Vanilla extract mixes with cinnamon, caramel, fresh sage, mesquite and woody ashes. Floral soap and candy cane notes arrive later.

THE PALATES

Whisky	Notes
Map Label (1990s)	The nose's lox, bacon and mesquite merge flawlessly with yellow plums and lemons. Kelp and cayenne dot the edges.
L15T03328098 (2001)	Milder than the '90s version. Mellow pepper, salt, sweet and smoke. Mint and limes in the middle. Picks up a pleasant fresh berry fruitiness after a half hour.
L9 (2009)	Gloriously peppery, but also full of nectarines, yellow plums and lychees. Minerals and smoke frame it all.
L2107CM000 (2012)	Very smoky. Plenty of cinnamon and (Cajun) blackened seasoning as well. A bit of alcohol heat never lets up. Smoked salt and lemons are waaaaaay in the back.
L5224CM000 (2015)	Hay and salt. Tangy citrus and tangy pepper sauce. Artificial sweetener and a touch of soap.
L9023 (2019)	Bitter and watery at first. It gains mint, pepper and hay after 20 minutes. Some lemon and mezcal later on.

THE FINISHES

Whisky	Notes
Map Label (1990s)	Plums and lemons at the beachside. Gentle earthiness and light sweetness in the background.
L15T03328098 (2001)	Sweet oranges meet pepper sauce and a little bit of minerals.
L9 (2009)	Stone fruit sweetness, green herbs, truffle salt and roasted chiles.
L2107CM000 (2012)	Sweeter and tarter here. Good length. Smoke and chiles in the background.
L5224CM000 (2015)	Sweet, ashy, lightly peppery, with a hint of citron.
L9023 (2019)	Black peppercorns, simple syrup and a squeeze of lemon.

COMMENTARY AND RATINGS

Whisky	Notes	Rating
Map Label (1990s)	A perfectly assembled single malt. I don't think there's anything like this on the market right now, from Talisker or anyone else.	90
L15T03328098 (2001)	I was a little worried about the palate on this one (especially since I have most of a bottle remaining), but once the fruit slipped in I was reassured.	88
L9 (2009)	Fanfuckingtastic. Depth, balance, glory, strobe lights. Even better than I remembered this era of the 10 year old to be.	91
L2107CM000 (2012)	Much rawer than the previous three. My palate had to recalibrate because this was a different whisky. Decent stuff though overall, with plenty of entertainment in the nose.	85
L5224CM000 (2015)	A very unfortunate palate. The nose saves the whole thing from descending into C-grade territory. A strange, but limp, batch of casks perhaps?	82
L9023 (2019)	Another startling shift to a different style, that of the contemporary era. Youth, oak, and thinness. Barely recognizable as Talisker.	80

FINAL THOUGHTS

I wanted to be proven wrong. I was not. To repeat my final note, the 2019 bottling was barely recognizable as Talisker. Unfortunately I have two bottles of it. Fortunately they are both 200mL. But the problems did not start with the 2019, as the 2015 had the most regrettable palate of the group. Though the 2012 survived following the big guns, it revealed the start of a less-balanced approach to the 10 year old. Did the older bottlings have older whisky within?

Speaking of which, of course my two favorites were the batches I know the least about. The 1990s version was a sparkling gem, while the 2009 edition somehow topped it. The first trio made Talisker feel like Caol Ila's saucy cousin. So what was responsible for the change in style? Younger ingredients? Or could it have been due to new mash tun and worm tubs installed in 1998?

No matter what, I am reassured that older batches of Talisker 10 are indeed lovely, but I doubt I'll be buying any current versions of Skye's oldest distillery's output any time soon.

Three Talisker 18s: A tasting

On Monday, I posted an introduction to today's tasting. Now, just a little more bottle background before I begin:

I opened the 2012 bottling several months ago for a fundraiser, though I did save one ounce for today's purposes. Its bottling code was L2352CM000, likely one of the first three runs of the new-label 18.

For reasons unknown, the 2011 bottle's code went unrecorded, even though I've written down much less useful bottle code information before and since. I do know that the bottle was bought in September 2011. So it's either of the L1244CM000 coding or the batch before. Either way it was one of the last three bottling runs of the old-label 18.

I opened the third bottle for this tasting. Its code is L6172CR000.

Surprise, surprise, this is what happened to its cork:

But not a single nub of cork fell in the bottle.

To the drinking!

TALISKER 18-YEAR-OLD, 45.8%abv, L2352CM000, bottled 2012

Nose - Good 'n Plenty candies, limes and grapefruits. A merging of gentle ocean-y and mossy peat notes. Hints of white stone fruit skins. The anise candy and limes ramp up over time, and are joined by a slight rosy note.

Palate - Lots of fruity sweetness at the start. More peat than on the nose. Tangy pepper sauce, dates, lemon peel and a bit of minerals. It gets more peppery with time and white fruity with time.

Finish - Fiery chile peppers, mild sweetness, a stony minerality (mineralness?), ashy smoke. The pepper and smoke last the longest.

Comments - It's good stuff, though not as gorgeous as I'd remembered the 18 used to be......a circumstance that will be confirmed in a moment. The palate dearly needs some of the nose's complexity, and the Talisker character doesn't come through until late. Still, it's well balanced, the oak stays out of the way and there's plenty of youth to be found. Were it still $80, I'd be enthusiastic. At twice that price, I'd find it disappointing.

RATING - 86

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TALISKER 18-YEAR-OLD, 45.8%abv, bottled 2011

Nose - A peatier thing than the 2012. There's menthol and dark industrial smoke. Yellow peaches and yellow plums, then a splash of plum wine. A combination of lemon juice and freshly cut grass. A bit of dunnage. Citrus and floral fruit skins last the longest.

Palate - Salt and sweet and tart, perfectly balanced. A charred-bell-pepper smoke. Oranges and citrons and fig. Then the second gear kicks in: a zap of minerals mixed with lime zest.

Finish - Tangy fruits and cigarette smoke. Salt, stones, barley and figs.

Comments - I used to think of Talisker 18 as one of the titans of single malt, and this reminds me why. It sits perfectly between the Drinky single malt and Thinky single malt categories. I've seen people use the word "effortless" to describe the whisky, but I won't do so because I don't know what that actually means. BUT this whisky's complexity is accessible to any nose, while on the palate every element merges into one and then shifts into a second gear. Though the rating is lower than the one I'd listed seven years ago, know that this is an excellent whisky.

RATING - 90

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TALISKER 18-YEAR-OLD, 45.8%abv, L6172CR000, bottled in 2006

Nose - Lots of dunnage and dark chocolate and grapefruits. Jalapeño oil, wet sand, citronella, peaches, a few old sherry casks thrown into the mix. I could keep going on but that would serve only the ego.

Palate - Here comes another list! Dunnage, lime zest, minerals, hay, dark chocolate, toffee, a pepper-oil smoke, then swirls of salty smoke with sweet lemons around the edges. It's the biggest and boldest of the three, yet also the most mature.

Finish - Lemons, stones, salty/peppery smoke, white peaches, musty staves and a hint of Thai chiles.

Comments - Gorgeous and grandiose, dark and delicious. I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of this one. It's of a remarkable quality that's difficult to compare to anything other than maybe old Springbanks and other old Taliskers. I can't really discuss this further without referring to the other two, so let's go...

RATING - 92

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WORDS WORDS WORDS

The 2012 was a very different whisky than the 2011. Meanwhile the 2011 and the 2006 feel much more akin. There's a curious thread running through these three, though. Each one reads older than the previous, with the 2006 bottling seeming like it's a good decade older than its age statement. And I think that's the key here.

Until 2011, Talisker's 25-year-old was bottled at cask strength. And those 25s were big whiskies, bottled between 54%-60%abv. Then in 2011, the 25 was bottled at the diluted strength of 45.8%abv. What if low-strength 25+ year old casks were added to the 18yo, once upon a time? Older casks that wouldn't fit the flavor profile of the 25 or were of low proof could have been used by the blenders to boost the profile of the 18 year old. This isn't a revolutionary idea because blenders have used this approach, historically.

There's a depth/complexity/dimensionality (sorry) missing from the 2012 bottling that is present in the two earlier bottles. I think there was a change in the recipe, and thus I wonder if the missing element was older Talisker. Its absence is a loss for Talisker fans.

Five and a half years ago, I found the 2012 bottling of the 25 year old suffering from a similar decline in quality. I believe the 10 year old has also seen a dropoff, though perhaps not as extreme. I look forward to putting that to the test in 2021...

Three Talisker 18s: An introduction

Diageo doubled the breadth of the Talisker range, from two to four, in 2004, by adding an 18 year old and a 25 year old to a line that had only included a 10 year old and the Distillers Edition. While the 25 year old was aimed for the ultra-luxury market, the 18 offered Talisker enthusiasts a way to ascend the consumer's ladder for a smaller premium. The 10 year old was about $40, while the 18 year old cost $80. That opportunity ended abruptly when Diageo hoisted the 18's price to $150 in 2012. This increase met with widespread grievance from customers and some retailers, as one of the best deals in the single market was gone.

New packaging, from boxes to labels, came with this price increase, so the whisky itself was not only more expensive but it looked different. I had been a very vocal devotee of the 18 year old in its previous livery, so I was curious when three whisky friends from different parts of the world told me, separately, that the "new" 18 year old was not nearly as good as the "old" one. And I wondered, "Had a change in recipe been partnered with the new visuals?

I dare say, 2012 is now a long time ago. And I'd been waiting to do a comparison of Talisker 18s since then, but I didn't know how.

My cupboard included one bottle of the 18 in its new packing, purchased for me by my wife. That was probably the last whisky bottle she bought for me because we both later agreed that more whisky bottles is not what our household needs.

Two years ago,  I discovered to my great surprise that I had saved a sample from my last old-label 18. It wasn't even in my whisky spreadsheet, so I had discovered a secret I was trying to keep from myself.

That then inspired me to scour the European auctions for an older bottling of the 18, specifically a 20cL bottle (one of the great bottles sizes, if not the best), and found just the one.

So there were three. One bottled in 2006, during the 18 year old's early years. One from 2011, just before the pivot, and one from 2012, just after.

The comparison was scheduled for late February 2020 but I could no longer fend off the anticipation. The tasting was moved to the day I write this introduction. In two days, I will post the results.

All The Baby Laing Taliskers, including this Talisker 6 year old 2009 Old Malt Cask for K&L

Independent Talisker releases by vintage:

2012 - 0
2011 - 7 (all by Laing companies, all 5 to 7 years old)
2010 - 11 (all by Laing companies, all 6 to 8 years old)
2009 - 16 (all by Laing companies, all 5 to 8 years old)
2008 - 31 (mostly or all by Laing companies, one was 9 years old, the rest were 5 to 8 years)
2007 - 0

At some point, the Laing family of independent companies obtained a sizable collection of Talisker casks that had been barreled between 2008 and 2011. And they've released 99% of them at 8 years of age or younger. If 10 or 11 year old Laing Talisker was going to make an appearance, 2019 would have been the year for it. But nothing yet.

Why is this happening?

(If anyone from the Douglas Laing side of things is reading this, please share!)

I've experienced four of these baby Taliskers (including today's), and owned one bottle. The first time a drinker tries one of these wee Talis it's kind of neat, in a raw mezcal sort of way. But no one with tastebuds in his face would say the whisky is anywhere within sight of Talisker at its best.

Meanwhile, on the financial side of things, imagine the whisky geek excitement of 11+ year old indie Talisker. Imagine the prices! Can be I an optimist and hope there are 200 more Talisker casks sitting in a non-Diageo warehouse, destined to provide the whisky world with a journey of Talisker through the ages?

I can understand why a retailer would scoop up one of these casks. It's Talisker, a known name, something that will sell faster than a six year old Tullibardine. And maybe that's the engine behind it all.

In any case, today's whisky doesn't appear to be among one of the above listed 65, so we can call it the 66th baby Laing Talisker. It's a single cask exclusive to US retailer K&L Wine Merchants, and the sample comes from My Annoying Opinions. How those two must love sharing space in the same sentence!

Distillery: Talisker

Independent Bottler: Douglas Laing
Range: Old Malt Cask

Age: 6 years
Distillation year: 2009

Maturation: refill sherry hogshead

Alcohol by Volume: 50%
Exclusive to: K&L Wine Merchants
Chillfiltered: No
Colored: No

NEAT
The nose starts out farmy, yeasty and raw. Slightly briny. Lots of cinnamon syrup, a few Glenfiddich-like pears. It gets cheesier with time, and very sugary. The palate is hot and acidic, vaguely grainy and peaty on the first two sips. Then comes the yeast and cheese. Then a grape candy sweetness that nearly takes over. Some dusty smoke lingers in the background. It has a drying, yeasty, cheesy finish with bursts of refined sugar and smoky mezcal.

DILUTED TO ~43%abv, or 1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky
The nose has shifted to peated simple syrup, sharp cheddar and limes. The palate and finish are both very sweet and very yeasty.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
I think disliked this less than MAO. We both found the yeast and mezcal bits. He experienced lots of plastic while I tasted lots of sugar. But we came to similar conclusions as you may see in the score below.

Farmy and yeasty notes aren't dealbreakers for me, in fact Tobermory often finds a way to weave them right. But they don't work well here as they crash into the piles of cheese(!) and sugar. I have to think doubling the maturation time would have helped it all out.

Is this (and Macallan M) the future of single malts? Or are 5-6 year old whiskies an aberration, something we will have forgotten about in 5-6 years? If not, that'll keep my spending down.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $40
Rating - 74

Talisker 15 year old 2002, Special Release 2019

🥳🎉🥳🎉👻 It's new whisky! New. Ish. Newish. Let's just say it's recent. 🎉🎂🍥🎸🥳

Diageo's 2019 Special Releases came and went and mostly avoided these United States. There was no Caol Ila, peated or un. There was 14 year old Cardhu and 12 year old Cragganmore, which is so unhip that it's almost hip. In fact it's one of the least sexy batches (no Brora! No Port Ellen! No thousand-dollar grain whisky!) yet.

I missed out on last year's allegedly awesome 8-year-old Talisker, so I was happy to get in on a bottle split of this year's 15-year-old Talisker. That was before I realized this 15 was entirely from "freshly charred American oak hogsheads" (per the press releases). Being that there are more than 42,000 bottles in this release, Diageo either did a whole lotta rejuvenating or went deep on new oak (~200 casks) in 2002.

May this whisky succeed despite the great effort to smother the Talisker spirit!

No Tauntauns were harmed in the production of this photo.

Distillery: Talisker

Ownership: Diageo

Region: Isle of Skye

Age: at least 15 years old (2002 - 2018?)
Maturation: "freshly charred American oak hogsheads"
Outturn: 42,222!
Alcohol by Volume: 57.3%

Chill-filtration? ???
Caramel colored? ???
(from a bottle split)

NEAT
The nose is quite the candy shop: cinnamon, mint, Big Red gum, Juicy Fruit gum, Haribo bears, toasted marshmallows and cotton candy. Limes + coconut cream = piña colada. And a little bit of ocean-y peat. Meanwhile, the palate is much less sweet than the nose leads on. Ginger, toasted oak, toasted coconut and mellow peat smoke are right up front. A mocha-like note (similar to Westland's malt of all things) and sweet lemons are in the background. The finish is similar to the palate, albeit a little tangier and sootier.

DILUTED TO ~45.8%abv, or 1½ tsp per 30mL whisky
Limes, cinnamon, flower blossoms and some mild vanilla on the nose. It's a little smokier and Talisker-ish at this strength. The palate is better balanced. More cayenne pepper, less sugar. More limes, more moss, more salty peat. A little bit of pickled ginger. Again, the finish matches the palate, with a little more sweetness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Though this is indeed a unique Talisker expression, was anyone actually asking for such a creature. The neat nose is quite, uh, quite. Sort of like one of William Lumsden's noodlings, I suppose. It's all MUCH preferable when reduced to classic Talisker strength (45.8%abv / 80 UK proof) as the coconuts and sugar jump ship.

Not a lot of Talisker in this Talisker for Talisker enthusiasts. But overall the whisky is better than I'd expected (especially when diluted), topping the Skye, Storm and Port Ruighe bottlings, while falling short of all the age-stated regular releases. But never fear, Thursday brings an even less vital Talisker...

Availability - Europe, whatever that may be as you read this
Pricing - €110-€140
Rating - 84 (diluted only)

Diageo's Game of Thrones single malts, part 2

I've divided Diageo's eight Game of Thrones single malts into two groups, sexy distilleries and not-sexy distilleries.

Sexy distilleries 
Oban
Talisker
Clynelish
Lagavulin

Not-sexy distilleries
Glendullan
Cardhu
Dalwhinnie
Royal Lochnagar

The not-sexy distilleries' whiskies got their reviews on Tuesday, and it was a pathetic showing, seemingly a bunch of whisky Diageo couldn't sell in another form, with the only exception being the 12yo Royal Lochnagar. I hope the sexy distilleries' GoT single malts are better.

Oban Bay Reserve (The Night's Watch), NAS, 43%abv

The nose has a (welcome) musty edge to it. There are apples, barley, grasses, sharp cheddar and a yeasty fermented note. Like Ben Nevis Lite Lite. The palate is......where is the palate? It's inoffensive at first. Then it takes on a milky/cheesy note. Then it turns sour. Bits of peppercorns, sugar, vanilla and apple float around. The finish is sour, peppery vanilla alcohol.

The quirky nose was fun, but it all descended steeply from there. One is left wishing they'd matched the whisky with the packaging's dark, brooding graphic design. Instead the whisky is weak and flawed, trending towards middle-shelf blend territory. Yes, it's worse than than Little Bay. The nose is the only that keeps it afloat.

Rating - 76

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Talisker Select Reserve (House of Greyjoy), NAS, 45.8%abv
(Oh no, "Select" and "Reserve" in one name?)

Ah, the first nose with character. Wet sheep, heck, wet sheepdogs too. Salty sea air, cinnamon, sugar and mint extract. More peppery smoke and white fruits with time. The palate has bolder peat than OB Talisker usually flaunts. And less oak than the rest of the Talisker NASes. Lemons, ginger powder, green peppercorns and a hint o' mint follow. It gets sweeter with time. A good finish. Sooty, salty, with a squeeze of lemon. A little bit of sugar and ginger powder.

Now we're talking. I had to get to whisky #6 before I enjoyed an entire sample. If you were let down with the entire crop of recent Talisker NASes, as I was, this may provide a little hope. There's less, I don't know, fuckery going on here. It's just young Talisker with the volume turned up. But unlike some of the indie baby Taliskers, this won't ruin your palate and your night's sleep.

Rating - 85

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Clynelish Reserve (House of Tyrell), NAS, 51.2%abv
(They've run out of names. How about Clynelish Batch Strength? It's doublespeak, but it's not "Reserve".)

Complex nose alert! Soot, hay and coriander right up front, then lime zest and roses. Then there's a waltz of milk chocolate, dulce de leche and molasses in the midground. A little more heat in the palate. There's a lot of veg, apple peels and cocoa powder up front. Some vanilla and sugar in the background. Everything seems just fine until the whisky shifts into another gear with lime zest, cumin and minerals, lifting the entire malt. Those limey limes stay into the finish. Then honey, chiles, salt, stones and a hint of brown sugar.

A good surprise, finally. Several unpleasant young Clynelish have previously passed my lips. And I had thought this Reserve was just the cheapo version of the odd superluxe Select Reserve, and maybe it is, but it's good. Very good. It's not going to unseat the 14yo, but as another take on one of Diageo's gems, it's a success.

Rating - 87

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Lagavulin 9 year old (House of Lannister), 46%abv

The nose is similar to the Talisker's but heavier and peatier. The peat is almost cruciferous, with a side of pepper-laden barbecue pork. Dirty chimneys and rauchbier. It picks up good cinnamon notes after some time in the glass. Smoked almond butter and crisp young peat smoke in the palate. Hell, it's industrial pre-Paris-Agreement climate-murdering black smoke. Also ginger candy, bitter chocolate and black peppercorns. It finishes with soot, bitter chocolate, ginger powder, heat and ocean water.

It's the large emotionally-warped older sibling of Talisker Select Reserve. And it's one note. But what a note. You know if you like this style or not. For those of you who embrace this spiritual preference, know that this 9yo ain't no 12yo CS, nor 16yo. But it's a good competitor for the more prevalent 8yo.

Rating - 85

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There's a lot of mediocre whisky in this collection, and we're all shocked (shocked!) to find this going on. I sincerely hope none of you bought this collection at anything other than MSRP. There isn't a single whisky in the GoT bunch that isn't topped by the regular age-stated range. Some of these whiskies are crap, to be frank. Three are worth a look, at their original price. But that's it, unless you're in the US and must have a Royal Lochnagar in your collection. Anyway, if you want 'em ranked, there they are:

1. Clynelish Reserve
2. (tie) Lagavulin 9 year old
2. (tie) Talisker Select Reserve
4. Royal Lochnagar 12 year old
5. (tie) Dalwhinnie Winter's Frost
5. (tie) Oban Bay Reserve
7. Cardhu Gold Reserve
8. The Singleton of Glendullan Select

Now, Distell International, get on that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel set! I'll be first in line for the Susie Myerson Ledaig Select Reserve.

Talisker 27 year old 1985 'Maritime Edition' Special Release (2013)

As part of its 2012 special releases, Diageo released a 35 year old Talisker, which was curiously more expensive than the 35 year old Brora. Rather than following that up with something older or sherried in 2013, they instead released this a 27 year old from 1985. They called it the 'Maritime Edition' for reasons unknown to me. And, frankly, the Internet hasn't helped much on that account.

For those keeping track, 2013 was the year that Diageo decided to try to beat the secondary market (or just act like dicks) (or both) by greatly increasing the prices on their special editions. For instance, this 27yo Talisker was priced nearly the same as the 35, the Brora nearly doubled in price from the year before, the Port Ellen went up 150% and the market found itself its first £600 Convalmore. These price increases have continued ever since, which is interesting since most of these "Special Releases" (not named Port Ellen or Brora) remain on the shelves for years before selling through. For instance, this Talisker can easily be had in 2017 (if you have that sort of dough lying around). As I mentioned in my reviews of the still-available Oban and Convalmore releases, the wisdom of ultra-luxury pricing proves not to be airtight with these annual releases, and I wonder how long retailers will keep picking these up as they crowd the shelf with the old ones.

Back to the subject at hand. The Talisker.

Distillery: Talisker

Ownership: Diageo

Region: Isle of Skye

Age: at least 27 years old (1985-2013)
Maturation: refill bourbon casks
Bottle: 0790 of 3,000
Alcohol by Volume: 56.1%

Chill-filtration? No
Caramel colored? Not much, if any
(Many thanks to Brett for this sample!)

NEAT
The color is a regular gold, as opposed to the expected DiageoGold™. The nose is, quite accurately, maritime. Malt, salt, hay, burnt plastic, smoked fish and seaweed. Whole wheat crackers, shredded wheat and smoky cocoa powder. With time, it picks up lime, bacon and more cocoa. The palate is Assertive and Austere (I've reached my monthly 'austere' quota of one). Salty and malty, strung together with seaweed, eucalyptus, wood smoke and chili oil. It gradually develops a toffee sweetness, along with some milk chocolate and lime. Its fat finish mirrors the palate with malt, salt, seaweed, chili oil, wood smoke, toffee and tart limes.

Be delicate with the water because this monster has some age to it.

WITH WATER (~50%abv)
The nose picks up a new sticky honey note. Still has the smoked fish and bacon. Barley, seaweed and salt. Cracked black peppercorns. The palate blooms with water. Brown sugar, mint leaves and honey. Chocolate malt, limes, eucalyptus and a musty dunnage note. Again, the finish mimics the palate. Honey, salt, pepper and limes.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
At times severe, at times lovely, this isn't just one of the better Taliskers I've ever had, it's probably my favorite single malt since my Japan trip two years ago. It likely places in my all time Top 20 whiskies. Its ability to show off brute force and grace in equal measures is reminiscent of the Laphroaig 25yos back when they were actually bottled at cask strength. I don't know what else to write about this maritime 'Maritime Edition'. It's expensive. It's a gem.

Availability - a few dozen specialty retailers in the US and Europe
Pricing - $550 to $750 worldwide
Rating - 93

Talisker 20 year old 1982 Cask Strength

I'm bringing Taliskravaganza 2017 to an end this week. Four weeks was plenty. Plus I'm saving few samples for the 2018 edition. Though the party is ending early, it's going out with a BANG!

Talisker bottled lightning with their three 20 year olds in 2002 and 2003. These three 20s—with ABVs of 58.8%, 59.7% and 62.0%—have received some of the highest scores for any Talisker from many reviewers (see the whiskybase community, LAWS, Whiskyfun, whisky-monitor and The Whisky Fedora).

For some reason only he knows, reader Cobo sent me a sample of the 1982 58.8%abv edition. Thank you, kind sir.

Distillery: Talisker

Ownership: Diageo

Region: Isle of Skye

Age: at least 20 years old (1982-2003)
Maturation: refill bourbon casks
Limited bottling: 12,000
Alcohol by Volume: 45.8%

Chill-filtration? No
Caramel colored? Not much, if any

Its color is amber, making it the lightest non-Lagavulin-12yo whisky Diageo has ever released. The nose is very fruit-forward. Melons, limes, grapefruits and lots of juicy tropical exotic things. It's also very malty. Some smaller notes of eucalyptus, dunnage, tar and horse stall. The palate is very approachable even with such a high ABV. Pink peppercorns, green bell peppers, light smoke and light florals. Some vanilla sweetness and minty candy. With time it develops an intense citrus blast, with some mango in the background. A ripple of tropical fruit runs through the long finish, along with the nose's dunnage and eucalyptus. Lots of lemons. Heath bar and a hint of smoke.

I've never had a Talisker like this before, and I probably never will again. All those fruits ring out like in a well-aged bourbon cask Highland malt. The smoke and phenols are present, but stay in the background most of the time. If I'm going to gripe ("If"?) it's that the palate doesn't match the nose's quality and complexity. Still, it does have a proper second gear. This whisky is a real treat and deserves its grade, but...

...I tried it next to another Talisker, one that will be reviewed on Wednesday. Something older, but newer.

Availability - Secondary market, and maybe a handful of European specialty retailers
Pricing - under $400 in some places, over $1000 in others
Rating - 90

Talisker 175th Anniversary Single Malt

Talisker distillery was founded in 1830 by the MacAskills, a pair of successful tenant farmers. Needless to say, the distillery was not owned by tenant farmers on its 175th anniversary, which was when this edition of its single malt was released.

I've seen various statements online saying there's 20-something year old whisky in the mix, while others say there's whisky up to 35 years old in there. The most thorough description I've found is this marketing blurb that appears a few sites:

To commemorate Talisker distillery's 175th anniversary in 2005 a special, limited edition expression of the Skye single malt was issued by Diageo. Talisker 175 carries no age statement and consists of a release of 60,000 bottles worldwide. It is largely the work of Diageo's Maureen Robinson, who says that some of the oldest component malts date back to the mid 1970s, while the youngest are at least ten years old. According to Talisker distillery manager Charlie Smith, 'It has all the elements of Talisker but in slightly different proportions to those in the ten or the 25-year-old. It's unmistakably Talisker, and one of the easiest drinking Taliskers I've tasted.'

So it's a 10-year-old.

I almost bought this whisky couple years ago when I found it on the shelf for something near its original price. As usual, my hesitation led to someone else scooping up the bottle a couple weeks later—after it had been on the shelf for nine years. Curiously, at a whisky event soon after, I met the very man who bought that bottle.

Cool story, bro.

Distillery: Talisker

Ownership: Diageo

Type: Single Malt
Region: Isle of Skye

Age: "at least 10 years old"
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks
Bottling date: 2005
Alcohol by Volume: 45.8%

Chill-filtration? Probably
Caramel colored? Yes

It noses like a vatting of Laphroaig 18 and Talisker 18, lightly medicinal and full of fruit (specifically nectarines). There's some old musty sherry cask funk in the mix. Then roses, citronella, dusty pepper, pound cake and dark chocolate. The sherry funk rolls right into the palate. Horseradish and a slight jalapeño sting. Chocolate malt and a little bit of vanilla. Some very dry red wine. A slight fizziness. There's oak to it, but a much different oak than what's in current Talisker, more delicate, less "rich" and gooey, never sweet. The foremost finish notes include black pepper, cocoa, and malt. There are smaller notes of brown sugar, menthol, anise and smoke.

This was much better than I'd expected. The nose is downright awesome. Its subtlety and grace might even appeal to peat-o-phobes. There are certainly some older casks in the whisky. Whether or not they were underproof casks that needed a home, they were well applied. Had the palate's quality/structure matched the sophisticated nose, I'd be talking about a near masterpiece here. The palate is good—thanks to the funk, malt and restrained oak—but it never ascends to "very good", let alone the excellence of the nose. I like the finish's simplicity but it fades a little too quickly. Still, if you can find the 175th selling at its old sub-$100 price, it's a nice thing to have.

Also see Serge's super happy review; Oliver and MAO's positive reviews; and LAWS's moderate reviews.

Availability - It's around, kinda
Pricing - $100-$250
Rating - 88 (dat nose tho)

Talisker 57º North (Current Label)

I reviewed the original label version of Talisker 57º North during the previous Taliskravaganza, three years ago, and found the stuff to be pretty awesome. I never got around to buying a bottle because its price had sailed over $100. The American TTB had approved the 57º North's label nearly four years ago, so I was also waiting for it to show up here. But it never did.

The 57º North's label got a design update, along with the rest of the range, in late 2012. That was right about the time that Talisker 10yo's quality started going downhill (in my opinion), thus I was even less motivated to buy the 57º. Thanks to Saint Brett of Riverside, I have a sample of the current labelled edition right here with me. Time to give it a try.

Distillery: Talisker

Ownership: Diageo

Type: Single Malt
Region: Isle of Skye

Age: NAS
Maturation: some version of American oak barrels
Alcohol by Volume: 57%

Chill-filtration? No
Caramel colored? Yes

NEAT
Its color is DiageoGold™, as expected. The nose starts off salty and remarkably fruity (honeydew, white peach and pear). Then vanilla bean, walnuts and lemons. A happy lack of ethyl heat. Ah, but the palate is very hot. Loads of ginger, peppercorns and cinnamon. It's very tangy with a sticky sweetness and some barrel char. The heat continues through the finish. It ends with vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, sweet citrus and woody bitterness.

WITH WATER (~45.8%abv)
It gets very cloudy very quickly. Eucalyptus and cocoa powder on the nose. Then wood char, pie dough and caramel sauce. The palate is desserty sweet. It's also loaded with black pepper and woody bitterness. An occasional mothball. Keeps coming back to the intensely sugary note that reminds me of lemon bars. The finish is sweet and woody, full of lemons and vanilla.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is an example of a whisky with an exceptional nose and an unexceptional palate. And a mediocre finish. This is likely due to two unsurprising factors: lots of oak and under-matured spirit.

New and rejuvenated American oak can produce a lot of rich bold smells, but it can't hide young whisky; instead, it becomes the pig's lipstick. So, while this whisky's nose displays more depth than that of the two 5yo indie Taliskers I reviewed last week, the palate feels as rough or rougher. Adding water doesn't help matters since it brings the wood to the fore. But, on the bright side, the nose is excellent.

American scotch enthusiasts don't have to spend over $100 to get 57º North from Europe, thanks to the weakness of the euro and pound. But still, it will set you back $80-$90. It's just not worth it, to me. I'd recommend seeking out the version with the old label instead.

Availability - Many specialty whisky retailers in Europe and Asia
Pricing - $80-$90 shipped from Europe, w/shipping, w/o VAT
Rating - 82 (the nose is the only thing keeping it out of the 70s)

Talisker "Tactical" 26 year old 1974 Old Malt Cask

Like the whisky from yesterday's review, today's Talisker is a low-abv release from an independent bottler who couldn't use the distillery's name. I tried the two whiskies side-by-side. Yesterday's Talimburg was like a funky herbal liqueur, lessee what today's Tactical turns out to be.

Name: Tactical
Actual Distillery: Talisker

Independent Bottler: Douglas Laing
Range: Old Malt Cask

Age: 26 years (May 1974 - August 2000)

Maturation: an old malt cask?
Bottles: 292

Alcohol by Volume: 44.7%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? No
Thanks to Cobo for providing the sample!

Its color is gold, darker than yesterday's 19yo. The nose is full of minerals and earth. Chalk, clay and salt. Apples and almonds. Dunnage funk. After 20ish minutes in the glass, the nose trends towards white grapes and peaches. After 30 minutes, vanilla bean and honey appear. The palate starts with lots of baking spice: cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. More pepper than smoke. Briney, with some horseradish. After 20ish minutes, it picks up mint leaves. The brine and horseradish turns into a zesty herbal bitterness. After 30 minutes, it gets toasty, with a gentle toffee sweetness. The finish stays fruity throughout. Sometimes fruit cocktail, sometimes tart limes. Toffee, mint and a light bitterness.

Though I do like the 19yo Talimburg's herbal liqueur style, this 26yo Tactical is more my jam. The herbal notes are there, but so is an impressive amount of minerality (on the nose), sweets and spice (on the palate) and fruit (in the finish). The complexity dazzles considering the low abv, so thankfully the angels didn't steal all the good stuff. If you have a bottle of this release stashed away, Mazel Tov. It's a great one.

Availability - Happy Hunting!
Pricing - ???
Rating - 90

Talisker "Talimburg" 19 year old 1986 The Whisky Fair, cask 1485

I'm going to stay with the whole Indie Talisker theme this week. Today's item is a bit of a dusty dram bottled by The Whisky Fair (from Deutschland) back in 2005. At 45.9%abv, it may have been diluted to approximately 0.1% more alcohol by volume than the official Taliskers. Or the angels snorted nothing but C₂H₅OH out of this cask. Because Diaego/DCL/SMD often did not allow 3rd parties to use Talisker's name on bottlings, The Whisky Fair put a little German twist on the name, calling it Talimburg.

Name: Talimburg
Actual Distillery: Talisker

Independent Bottler: The Whisky Fair

Age: 19 years (May 1986 - June 2005)

Maturation: bourbon hogshead
Cask number: 1485
Bottles: 252

Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chillfiltered: No
Colored: No

Thank you to Cobo-san for providing this sample!

Just to note, I tried this whisky alongside the whisky I'm reviewing tomorrow.

The color is a nice simple amber. Oooh, lots of old dunnage funk, hot tar and burnt plastic on the nose. That somehow totally grooves with the golden raisin and dried apricot notes. Then lemongrass/citronella. With 30+ minutes in the glass, the whisky issues a barley/bran cereal note, as well as some butter. Like the nose, the palate starts with aggressive dirty funky stuff. Then mint leaves and Fernet-Branca. Brown sugar and cinnamon. Ink. It's herbal as all hellfire. It's like a bitter herbal liqueur with a little bit of tar and cinnamon blended in. It finishes very herbal as well, with ink, salt, and tart and tangy lemons.

Whew, this is a brisk, crisp, sharp thing, unlike any whisky being produced now. It'll put hair on your ears. Or, in some cases, MORE hair on your ears. The palate is devoid of oak, yet is not immature; it feels like it was actually aged instead of having more wood thrust into it.

Phrasing!

I don't know if there are any unopened bottles of this stuff left on the planet. If you do have one, or one pops up in an auction, you can also take a look at Serge's review and the Whisky Monitor. My opinion is this is a whisky for a very specific palate. If you like funky, salty, herbal bombs then this Talimburg is for you.

Availability - Happy Hunting!
Pricing - ???
Rating - 86

Taste Off: A pair of 5 year old Taliskers bottled by the Laings

Let's go down to Tiny Talisker Town.

What I have here are a pair of whiskies with the following aspects in common:

• Distillery: Talisker
• Indie Bottler: The Laing family (Langside Distillers / The Laing Whisky Company)
• Age: 5 years old
• Cask: refill hogshead
• Exclusive to: K&L Wine & Spirits

Long time readers may remember that I have reviewed The Speakeasy Talisker before. I've grumped a number of times about indie bottlers rushing to bottle immature whiskies, but I found the five year old Speakeasy to be quite good. So I decided to give another try, alongside the next baby Talisker cask selected by K&L, a 5yo 2009 from the Hepburn's Choice label.

---

Distillery: Talisker

Independent Bottler: The Laing Whisky Company

Age: 5 years (April 2008 - November 2013)

Maturation: refill hogshead
Cask number: 8
Bottles:  345

Alcohol by Volume: 58.2%
Exclusive to: K&L Wines
Chillfiltered: No
Colored: No
(Sample taken from my bottle)

NEAT
Its color is a very light amber. The nose begins with mezcal, lemons, oranges and wood ash. With some time it transitions to mint leaves, burnt barley and lemon cake. The palate is peppery as heck. Chili powder. Smoky cocoa powder. Lemon candy and clover honey. It finishes with honey pepper hot sauce, lemons and mossy peat.

WITH WATER (~45.8%abv)
The nose gets very floral (blossoms, not perfume). There's a ham, honey, saltines and yeast. It fades pretty quickly though, leaving behind a single broad smoke note. The palate is sweet and spicy. Simple but balanced. Mezcal, barley and honey. The finish balances light sweetness, pepper and smoke, getting sweeter with time.

---

Distillery: Talisker

Independent Bottler: Langside Distillers
Range: Hepburn's Choice

Age: 5 years (2009 - 2015)

Maturation: refill hogshead
Bottles: 281

Alcohol by Volume: 59.5%
Exclusive to: K&L Wines
Chillfiltered: No
Colored: No
(Sample taken from a whisky event bottle)

NEAT
It may have the lightest color I've ever seen on a whisky. It's almost clear. The nose is super vegetal with plastic and rubber band notes. But it also has molasses, mesquite chips, tequila and apricots. The palate has a spritely balance of veg, pepper and white fruit sweetness. Some mint and mossy smoke as well. Plenty of heat in the finish, along with peat smoke, black pepper, pretzels and charred veggies.

WITH WATER (~45.8%abv)
The nose picks up some grilled meat notes, more moss and more rubber. It gets coastal and farmy too. The palate is minty, salty, peppery, sweet and charred. The finish is very peppery with lighter smoke and sweetness. Cigarette smoke.

---

WORDS WORDS WORDS

My opinion of The Speakeasy remains unchanged. It's a brash young whisky that will appeal to mezcal fans and peatheads. In addition to its fiery character, the whisky makes for a decent drink. It's one of the better low-oak super-young whiskies I've had. That being said, I'm glad I split this bottle with friends because I don't think I could have kept up the enthusiasm for an entire 750mL.

The 2009 Hepburn's Choice comes across even rawer and younger than The Speakeasy. In fact its color gives a pretty good hint as to what one should expect. It's probably as close to Talisker new make as a non-Diageo employee will be able to try. Even though it blitzes the palate, it's less abusive than the 46%abv 6yo Ardmore I reviewed two weeks ago. And it's more complex and enjoyable, compared to that Ardmore.

But, The Speakeasy wins the day here. It feels more like a mostly-complete product than immature spirit chosen for bottling because......well, I don't know why the 5yo cask was selected for a retailer by Langside. I don't understand why it couldn't have been left to cook for another 5-7 years. As referenced above, it's absolutely NOT bad whisky, but it still feels a bit like a stunt. Perhaps the hope was Speakeasy the Sequel. It's not, though it does provide a quick peek into Talisker's spirit.

Talisker 5yo 2008 The Speakeasy
Availability - sold out
Pricing - $60
Rating - 84

Talisker 5yo 2009 Hepburn's Choice
Availability - sold out
Pricing - $50
Rating - 78

Single Malt Report: Talisker 2006 Distillers Edition (2016 bottling)

Yesterday I reviewed the 2009 chapter of Talisker's Distillers Edition and it was.....eh. Especially when compared to the current (2016) version. Which I did. Good sentences on this post.

See below for the second half of the Talisker DE Taste Off. The 2016 Edition doesn't have an age statement as usual, but this time it's entirely possible the whisky isn't a full ten years old. Nonetheless, it's not bad.

Distillery: Talisker

Ownership: Diageo

Type: Single Malt
Region: Isle of Skye

Age: 10 years or less (2006-2016)
Maturation: refill ex-bourbon casks for ??? years, then a brief finish in ex-Amoroso casks
Alcohol by Volume: 45.8%

Chill-filtration? Yep
Caramel colored? Also Yep
(Review from purchased sample)

Its color is DiageoGold™. The nose starts off with the same soap note as the 1998, but it fades quicker, thank goodness. There's more char and vegetal notes in this one. Burnt nuts, mesquite chips, BBQ ribs, tar and band-aids. It also has a sugary side to it, with caramel and buttery dough. In fact, one nostril picks up more sugar, the other gets more smoky stuff. After 30+ minutes there are some dry sherry cigarette notes as well. The palate is big on savory. Roast beef, Vegemite and smokiness that grows with time. There's also a bit of sweetness that stays in balance with the savoriness. Candied stone fruits, black licorice and a cherry + BBQ combo. Some zippy moments of fresh ginger and wood spice show up after some time. Its finish delivers a bigger bite than the '98. Wood smoke, fresh ginger and black licorice. Gumdrops, though at 1/10th the sweetness. A little bit of savory and salt.

Well, not everything used to be better than it is now. This current version of Talisker DE is more complex and well rounded, while delivering a bigger punch, than the 1998-2009 version. Though, to be honest the 1993-2007 Edition remains my favorite so far. One kinda forgets this one almost immediately after the finish fades. Anyway...

If you're standing at the whisky store, looking at the different blue Talisker boxes, I'd recommend this over Storm and Skye. It may even top some recent batches of the 10 year old. On the other hand, it's not worth $75+ IMHO. It's a B-grade whisky that's neither old or scarce. You can find it for a (comparable) song at some Netherlands retailers, though.

Availability - (this edition) Many speciality liquor retailers
Pricing - (this edition) $65-$95 in the US, $45-$80 in Europe
Rating - (this edition) 86

Single Malt Report: Talisker 1998 Distillers Edition (2009 bottling)

I'm starting off Taliskravaganza 2017 with a pair of Talisker DEs. Happily I was able to try the 2009 bottling alongside the current 2016 version and I'll be sharing my thoughts on them today and tomorrow.

Here's a quick recap for those unfamiliar with these whiskies: Diageo releases annual Distillers Editions for many of its Classic Malts, including Oban, Lagavulin, Talisker, Glenkinchie, Cragganmore, Dalwhinnie, Caol Ila and Royal Lochnagar. Each single malt has been finished in a specific type of fortified wine cask for an unspecified period of time. For instance, Lagavulin is finished in Pedro Ximenez casks, Caol Ila in Moscatel, Oban in Montilla Fino Sherry, and Talisker in Amoroso. Oh, and there's no apostrophe in "Distillers" for some reason.

To quote a post from Taliskravaganza 2014:

...the age of the Talisker Distillers Editions has lessened over the years.  From 2000 - 2007 (vintages 1987-1993), they were 13 years or older.  In 2008 (the 1996 vintage), it was 12 years old.  Then from 2009 until the current version, it's 11 years or younger.  I'm going to guess that age reduction is due to demand.  Or it's possibly due to a level of production efficiency; over the last four years they may just take the regular 10 year old casks and give them the sherry finish....

Indeed today's 2009 bottling is around 11 years old, while the 2016 edition (like the 2015) is at most 10 years old.

Distillery: Talisker

Ownership: Diageo

Type: Single Malt
Region: Isle of Skye

Age: between 10 and 11 years (1998-2009)
Maturation: refill ex-bourbon casks for 10-ish years, then a brief finish in ex-Amoroso casks
Alcohol by Volume: 45.8%

Chill-filtration? Yessiree
Caramel colored? Yes'm
(Review from purchased sample)

Its color is DiageoGold™. The nose starts out a little quirky, mixing tar, Dove soap and orange candy. After a few minutes it straightens out a bit, bringing smoke and butterscotch to the fore as the soap and tar fade back. It takes 20-30 minutes for it to really shine, at which point black raisins, dried cherries, plums and toffee take over. The palate is more savory than sweet, though it does start off with ginger ale, limes and toasted oak spice. Then almonds, salt and fresh ginger leap forward. It's a simple thing, though it does have a good mouthfeel, making one wonder how much better it would have been without chill filtration. The finish is quiet for the first few sips, gradually taking on the palate's almonds, salt and fresh ginger, along with a nice inky bitterness.

This one takes a long time to wake up. Once it airs out, the nose is the best part, showcasing the some of the better characteristics from the spirit and wine cask. The palate and finish are both fine. Nothing offends (except perhaps that early soap note), but there's little in the way of highlights. This is certainly a full step down in quality compared to the Talisker 10 that was being produced at the time.

Availability - (this edition) Happy Hunting!
Pricing - (current edition) $65-$95 in the US, $45-$80 in Europe
Rating - (this edition) 82

This February: Taliskravaganza 2017 and the return of BARD Friday!

Taliskravaganza 2014 was a delight to write, so I've been threatening to do a sequel ever since. And like any proper sequel, Taliskravaganza 2017 is going to be bigger and louder and more bloated than the original. It's going on ALL MONTH LONG. That's right. You're just lucky February is the shortest month of the year.

"Will there be relevant Talisker reviews?" you ask. "Ha!" I reply.

If you could not care less about Taliskravaganza (for shame), be comforted knowing that Bourbon and Rye Day Friday returns for perpetuity (or until I run out of samples) starting this coming......Friday. There will be old stuff, new stuff. Red stuff, blue stuff. Odds and ends. Dusties and musties.

Technically tomorrow isn't February, so I'll begin the week with a review of a current(!) whisky. And not from a sample, but from my own bottle. Amazing!

Top Ten Deepest Thoughts After Attending Indy's Whisky & Fine Spirits Expo

1. Redbreast 21yo > Glenmorangie 25yo > Talisker 30yo > Port Charlotte Islay Barley > Westland's regular range > Port Charlotte Scottish Barley > Port Dundas 42yo 1973 Duncan Taylor > Taketsuru 21yo > Wolfburn Aurora > Getting Kicked in the Junk > Dalmore King Alexander III

From the bottom up:  Dalmore's current regular range competes with Glenrothes's as the most mediocre in the biz.  King Alex III was the one I've always wanted to try.  I was optimistic.  I was foolish.  It was awful.  Wolfburn Aurora is just as young and unformed as their regular release.  Having greatly enjoyed Nikka's age-stated single malts, I must say I don't get the Taketsuru blended malt series.  Both the 12 and the 21 are very disappointing, thin, and watery.  When it comes to Glenmo 25 being better than Talisker 30, my opinion is probably in the minority.  Glenmorangie 25 really beat my expectations, with a rich palate and a long finish.  Probably reasonable at $150-200, but it's $600, so ha!  And finally, Redbreast 21 kicks ass.  I expected it to be soft and subtle, instead it brought brawn and loads of tropical fruits.  ❤️

2. But one rum ruled them all.

Caroni 16yo 1997 Duncan Taylor, cask 87, provided a dynamic drinking experience unmatched by any of the single malts at the show.  Tar, barbecue, leather, black licorice, and mustard seed. Holy moley. If I were to have bought one bottle of something I tried at the event, that would have been it. Oh wait, I did buy a bottle.

I also tried a half dozen rhum agricoles from JM and Clement, all of which were more interesting than many of the whiskies I've tried this year.

3. And the Cognac outclassed all of the scotches.

Cognac Park's selection was so much fun that I happily sampled six of their products.  Their XO Cigar Blend, Extra Grande Champagne, Chai #8 21yo Single Barrel Petite Champagne, and Fins Bois 1976 were better than everything except for the Redbreast and Caroni.  None of these cognacs were barrel strength, in fact they're all 40%abv, but they were delightful.  Of course they all cost over $100, but if one were so motivated one could buy all 4 for about the same price as one Glenmorangie 25 or one Talisker 30.

4. Ledaig 18yo is weird, as it should be.

Intensely dirty and rougher than the 10yo, Ledaig 18 also dries out the mouth as if it were loaded with tannins.  But it doesn't taste or smell oaky at all.  Very confusing.  As I drank it, I couldn't figure out if it was terrible or awesome.  Just the way I like Ledaig.  Too bad it costs $150-$200 in The States.

5. Knob Creek 2001 Batch 3 bests Four Roses Elliott's Select, and it's not even close.

I went back for a second pour of Elliott's Select in order to compare it to Knob Creek 2001 batch 3, just to make sure my palate wasn't shot.  Sure enough the Knob Creek was richer and landed a much better finish.  I'm becoming a fan of these 2001s (see my review of batch 1).  Meanwhile it seemed as if someone poured Four Roses's Small Batch into the Elliott's bottle.

6. Both of Vine & Table's Signatory single casks are good.

Denis Lynch & Co. selected a 19yo 1995 Imperial and a 24yo 1991 Glen Keith from the Pitlochry people.  With the Imperial coming across bigger and oakier, and the Glen Keith subtler and fruity, I preferred the latter.  Both are very solid and will each have its fans.

7. Attend the classes or presentations offered at major whisky events.

The opportunity to get utterly shitfaced at these big whisky-a-thons is difficult to dodge, especially when there are 500+ pours available.  If classes are offered during drinking time, go!  It'll give you a chance to sit in one place and sample a couple things over 45-60 minutes.  Imagine how many pours you could quaff in that time frame if you were just going from table to table and then imagine your vomit.  So, in addition to education and special spirits, the classes allow you to pace yourself.

The Indy Expo had two classes.  The first was led by Peter Currie, formerly of Springbank, now of Duncan Taylor, who brought along three of DT's products, none of which were single malts.  It was at that session I discovered the Caroni rum (winner!).  Knowing I'd probably overdo it if I went back out to the pouring floor, I got right back in line for the second class which was lead by Cognac Park's Anaïs Brisson.  See item #3 above regarding how that turned.  Again, education + fun drinks + pacing = smaller hangover = success.

8. I've discovered a good way to pare down my Glencairn collection.

I've attended four $100+ whisky events over the past four years.  In those four events, I've had five Glencairns stolen.  This has nothing to do with the events themselves, rather the drunken kleptos who attend them.  When I put my mini-glencairns (obtained from the Laphroaig and Lagavulin distilleries) down with my bag as I grabbed food for less than a minute, some a-hole walked off with both.

9.  I am now much more motivated to explore other brown spirits.

I've bought exactly one bottle of scotch in the three months since I returned from Scotland and am not motivated to buy another one any time soon......though I have picked up a few bottles of bourbon and rye during that time period.  Meanwhile, I've been drinking more cognac than I used to, plus I've been impressed with all of the rhum agricoles I've tried.  This event has led me further down that path.

10. I met great humans!

Aside from going to a whisky event for the whisky, I also went to meet people.  I chatted with a dozen reps, sharing our misery over the mess that is Ohio's state run liquor business.  Shared a drink with a few more.  But what I enjoyed most was the chance to hang out with two of my readers!  Thank you Fletcher and Vik for agreeing to meet up with me and for politely suffering through my vast assortment of opinions.  It was a pleasure!  Thanks, gents!  Hopefully we can do this again some time.