Talisker Port Ruighe

45,8°

Distillery : Talisker - Islands

Bourbon, Charred and Sherry Casks, Port Wine Finish

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt

Launched in 2013

Peated around 22 ppm

This edition undergoes a triple maturation process, in Bourbon and Sherry casks, as well as in casks with an extreme toasting process, which means they are burnt with a blowtorch. Finally, it is finished in port casks. It is named after the Gaelic name of the main port on the Isle of Skye, where the distillery is located.

Let's Taste It : 

Talisker's typicality is obstructed by vinous hints of soggy wood, old plum, crushed cherry. The iodine and peat are well behind, trying to blossom, without success. It's a shame, but it's not bad. On the palate, the principle is the same, but the marriage is more effective, between the light vanilla peat and the syrupy torpor of the port. It's a bit maderised, with raspberry and a few exotic fruits such as lychee and kumquat. But the earth and pepper come to the fore and the finish is a little heartbreaking, more on red wine and gooseberry. Some bark and humus in retro-olfaction, but it's short.

 

In Short, 

I wasn't convinced by this overly complex triple maturation, which seems to have overshadowed the quality of the distillate. A dispensable purchase in my humble opinion. 

Score : 82

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Texas - I Don't Want a Lover

Talisker Storm

45,8°

Distillery : Talisker - Islands

Refill and Toasted Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt

Launched in 2013

Peated around 22 ppm

This bottling has been aged partly in toasted casks, meaning it has been torched.

Let's Taste It : 

This is a Talisker very influenced by bourbon casks, with sweet vanilla, sugar cane and icing sugar. There's a hint of iodine and heather, but it's in the background, and very little peat. Then comes red fruits, strawberry, prune and dried grape. A touch of earth and cherry. Could it also have been aged in sherry casks? The whole is well balanced. An ounce of sea salt to flesh it out. A few wisps of smoke. On the palate, it's softer and vinous at first, almost syrupy, with hazelnuts, leather, caramel and apple, but the pepper rises very quickly. The finish is quite strong, but it holds up. Relatively long, it leaves a charcoal, tar and humus taste.

 

In Short, 

A hint of vanilla softens the roughness of the Talisker profile, it's very pleasant, but at almost the same price, the 10 year old is still much better.

Score : 83

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          The Strokes - Reptilia

Talisker Skye

45,8°

Distillery : Talisker - Islands

Refill and Toasted Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt

Launched in 2015

Peated around 22 ppm

This is the distillery's entry-level range, aged partly in toasted casks, meaning they are burnt with a blowtorch.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is peaty, spicy, lively, smoky and marinated, with a medicinal touch and cinnamon. It smells of smoked fish, a touch of iodine, country ham, holly and dry dust. The palate is suave, with peat and brown sugar, a touch of molasses and, it seems, prunes. Measured spices, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg. The finish is salty and peppery, a little pungent, with earth and cardamom. Quite long on the palate, but on the whole this whisky is too young to be really good.

 

In Short, 

It's really young and a bit too aggressive. Sold at almost the same price as the 10-year-old, it's better to go for the latter.

Score : 80

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          The Libertines - Don't Look Back Into The Sun

Caol Ila 25 yo

43°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay

Bourbon and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt

Launched in 2009

Peated around 35 ppm

With this 25-year-old, we discover the pinnacle of Caol Ila's regular range.

Let's Taste It :

Robust smoke, chocolate. It's fruity, sweet, banana, juicy apple, pomegranate, gooseberry. A touch of peat to cement it all together. Slightly peppery palate, woody, caramel, liquorice, pumpkin. Oily. Exotic fruits stand out: mango, maracuja. A long finish, with chocolate and hazelnuts, or could it be puffed rice? Some spices, such as cardamom, cinnamon, saffron. After a few minutes, a zest of lemon and a touch of salt. Crushed chestnuts, heather.

 

In Short, 

It's absolutely delicious, with strong fruit, chocolate and an ounce of peat. You should get hold of a bottle as soon as possible, as long as you can find it at a reasonable price. 

Score : 90

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Jan Garbarek - Brother Wind March

Benromach 2008 Cask Strength Batch 1 10 yo

57,9°

Distillery : Benromach - Speyside

Bourbon and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2019

Cask Strength

Peated around 12 ppm

 

Benromach releases vintage cask strength bottlings quite often, even several times a year, to reveal the quintessence of its distillate. This one was produced in 5500 copies.

Let's Taste It : 

Apple-vanilla nose, more specifically green apple and vanilla meringue ice cream. Pumpkin, butternut, yellow pepper. A touch of smoke, very dry hay. The sherry is light, with a few blueberries and prunes, but nothing more. Warm vanilla-spice palate, it's warm, pumpkin purée, lots of white fruits, coarse salt, and a vanilla-wood finish, with an ounce of red fruits, raspberry I'd say. Or maybe gooseberry? Quite a muscular finish given the alcohol content, and quite long. Sage.

 

In Short, 

A very typical expression of the distillery, with that country profile, vanilla and hay, and a touch of sherry. The price is very reasonable, so take advantage of it. 

Score : 88

         

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping : 

   

                                          Creedence Clearwater Revival - Suzie Q

Benromach 2010 Peat Smoke

59,9°

Distillery : Benromach - Speyside

1st Fill Sherry Hogsheads

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 34 ppm

Benromach has been producing this vintage Peat Smoke every year since 2007. This batch, which is rather less peaty than the first ones, has the originality of having been aged in sherry casks, and the advantage of being bottled in cask strength. 6,500 bottles were put on sale in 2019. 

Let's Taste It : 

Very rustic peat, reminiscent of burnt hay. The sherry then rises, a rather sweet sherry, with hints of apricot and dried fruits. Thick smoke. Lingonberries. Woody influence. A touch of acidity. With water, the nose becomes fuller. Slightly acidic on the palate, but suave at the same time, with rising spices and a lingering taste of light raspberry. The finish is violent but not too long, spicy and woody. It fades slowly, leaving a shade of white plum.

 

In Short, 

A highly successful expression that will appeal to enthusiasts. On the other hand, it has become hard to find, and a bit overpriced. 

Score : 87

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          The Inspector Cluzo - Rockfarmers

Benromach 1998 20th Anniversary Bottling 19 yo

56,2°

Distillery : Benromach - Speyside

1st Fill Oak Casks

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 12 ppm

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the reopening of the distillery, 3,000 units of this limited edition were released, aged in virgin casks to bring out the full purity of the distillate.

Let's Taste It : 

Beautiful fullness on the nose, a shade of peat and camphor, evanescent smoke. I slept in the hay, surrounded by fruits, grapes, peaches, apricots, and of course very sweet, almost honeyed vanilla. Earth a bit dry, grainy. Slight acidity, apple not quite ripe. Very fine balance. Velvety on the palate, with a hint of gooseberry, followed by rising spices and then pomegranate. Cloves. It's suave. Woody notes, including on the finish, which is fairly long, caramel, lingonberries. Cinnamon.

In Short, 

A very enjoyable nectar, very fruity and characteristic of the distillery. Unfortunately, the price is quite extravagant.

Score : 89

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Vic Chesnutt - Coward

Benromach 2008 Peat Smoke

46°

Distillery : Benromach - Speyside

Refill Bourbon Hogsheads

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered

Peated around 47 ppm

Since 2007, Benromach has regularly released peated and vintage versions of its distillate.

Let's Taste It : 

Very floury peat, almost suffocating smoke. A whiff of lemon. It smells of the countryside, the real one, animals rolling around in the grass, hay that's a little dry, slush, a hint of dung. Over time, the white fruits come out a bit more. On the palate, vanilla, coarse salt, smoked herring, the very dry hay is still there, someone has probably just set it on fire. Again some white fruits, which we still find in the finish, which is rather long and fruity, surprising, it contrasts with the rest. It ends on a woody note.

 

In Short, 

It's not bad, in fact it's interesting, a good alternative to Islay with this very country peat. However, the value for money is not very convincing. 

Score : 83

                                            To Be Listened While Sipping : 

                                           Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning