The benefit of being a bit closer to one of the older whisky shops in the country is that has been engrained in my system to check their website a bit more often than many others. The benefit of that, obviously, is that you’re quite quick to spot new additions to the shop.

That shop being De Whiskykoning, has quite a stockpile of older bottlings that are slowly being added to the webshop, instead of gathering dust in a store room somewhere. Things like this Knockando, some old blends and other weird stuff for which I can’t currently find the reviews are part of this series of old shit.

This Talisker is too. I got it a couple of years ago, I guess it was just before Covid, in part because it’s old Talisker, and also because mistakes on labels stand out. Like this one stating ‘Cask Strength’ while it’s obviously not.

Anyway, let’s go!

Sniff:
Even though it’s only from the early 2000s, there is already quite some old bottle effect happening. The gentle smokiness and black pepper that is so typical of Talisker is happening as well. Something metallic, iron-like as well.

Sip:
The palate, even at just 46%, feels like it’s quite a bit stronger. It’s intense, with black pepper, a sharp oakiness, dry peat smoke and salinity. Almost to a level of smoked fish, in regard to coastal notes. The old bottle effect is here too, with it’s notes of iron and slate.

Swallow:
The finish is quite long and a lot more gentle than the palate. Still old fashioned with hints of barley, iron, hessian, straw and smoked fish. There’s some sweetness in there too.

This does everything you want it to do. It’s is very much a true Talisker with some vanille, heaps of gentle smoke and black pepper. Coastal notes too. Very, very good stuff. The fact that it’s older with some Old Bottle Effect and a slightly different distilling regime only adds to the attractiveness of this one!

88/100

Currently going for a staggering € 500…