Talisker 25 yo

45,8°

Distillery : Talisker - Islands

Sherry and Bourbon Hogsheads

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt

Launched in 2011

Peated around 22 ppm

This edition is the high point of the distillery's regular range, but not the pinnacle, as there is also a 30-year-old.

Let's Taste It : 

Not much peat and not much iodine in the nostrils, but what subtlety. Old wood, applesauce, porridge, plum, greengage, fig, vanilla. On the palate, very oily, hazelnuts, walnuts, elderberry, salted butter, an ounce of caramel. Gingerbread. But the pepper remains very discreet. It's more like wild herbs, fermented fruits, a bit of molasses and milk chocolate. The finish is long and bewitching, some scrub, aniseed and cola. Light liquorice in retro-olfaction.

 

In Short, 

A very fruity version, typical of the distillery, it's delicious. That said, the price makes it difficult to access.

Score : 90

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Tom Waits - A Sweet Little Bullet From a Pretty Blue Gun

Talisker 25 yo Natural Cask Strength 2009

54,8°

Distillery : Talisker - Islands

Bourbon and Sherry Refill Casks

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2009

Cask Strength

Peated around 22 ppm

Included in the Diageo Special Releases in 2009, this 25-Year-Old is the last to be released in cask strength, and for this reason it is highly sought-after. Only 5862 bottles were produced.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is less iodised, less marine, but very fruity. Apricot is the dominant flavour, as it is one of the distillery's hallmarks, along with a hint of heather. The addition of water brings out the vanilla and white fruits. Mirabelle plum with a pinch of spice, butter, applesauce and elderberry. Just a drop of peat, no ash or smoke. Very greedy nonetheless. After half an hour, the pear takes over. It's very sweet, slightly woody and earthy. The palate is light, with no trace of alcohol and a touch of plum. On the other hand, the heather and pepper are invasive, and the finish is very woody, very long, I'd say endless.

 

In Short,  

Touching on the divine, this is, in my opinion, the best that Talisker can produce. The price is obviously a deterrent, but don't hesitate if you can afford it.. 

Score : 91

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Mari Boine - Goaskinviellja

Talisker 8 yo Special Release 2018

59,4°

Distillery : Talisker - Islay 

1st Fill ex-Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2018

Cask Strength

Peated around 22 ppm

Included in the 2018 Diageo Special Releases, this limited edition was a runaway success, and the 4680 bottles put on sale went up in smoke fairly quickly. It is now extremely difficult to find. 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is very similar to that of the 18-year-old Talisker, strongly iodised, very maritime, with just the right amount of vanilla, smoke and heather. But it's less prominent, sweeter. Lots of juicy white fruits, pears and plums. Beetroot, toffee, a touch of earth, it's definitely very enjoyable. The palate is suave, apricot, very Talisker, with a touch of wood and vanilla. Excellent finish, very violent and long, full of greengages and mirabelles, a touch of charcoal. Fudge in retro-olfaction.

 

In Short, 

It's undeniably a success, complex and very representative of the distillery despite its young age. That said, this bottling is a victim of its own success, and its price has risen somewhat disproportionately.

Score : 89

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Van Morrison - Wavelength

Talisker Select Reserve House of Greyjoy Game of Thrones Limited Edition

45,8°

Distillery : Talisker - Islands 

Heavily Charred and Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2018

Peated around 22 ppm

This limited edition went on sale in early 2019, a few months before the final season of the Game of Thrones TV series. House Greyjoy is one of the Great Houses of the imaginary Kingdom of Westeros, located on the Iron Islands. The bottling is the result of a blend of bourbon casks and others that have been powerfully toasted, in other words burnt with a blowtorch.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is very similar to that of the Storm, there's no doubt about that. Perhaps slightly sweeter. The sherry is less present, as are the iodine and heather, in short it's a little impersonal. That said, it's pleasant, I find a bit of lavender, icing sugar and genoise. It's very slightly minty. A touch of earthiness, coarse salt. On the palate, it's quite fruity, with hazelnuts, plums, pears and figs. The finish, on the other hand, is much better than that of the Storm, woody, caramelised, resinous, but without putting the fruit aside.

 

In Short, 

Once the fashion effect had worn off, we realised that this bottling, while enjoyable, was not up to the standard of the illustrious 10-year-old. 

Score : 84

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Foo Fighters - Best Of You

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