Malt Fascination

The second batch of three Talisker whiskies and the second half of the tasting at the distillery. Without further ado:

Talisker Distiller’s Edition 2012, 45.8%
A batch release with, according to the tour guide, significant differences between batches. One is supposed to be lots better than the other with the last two releases being pretty good I believe. Anyway, this is the latest, from the 2012 Distiller’s Editions from Diageo’s special release programme. On the nose it is quite comparable to the 10 years old, but the sherry influence is added. So some dried banana and peach on top of the gentle smoke. The palate offers a bit more sweetness and even more pepper, but the fruitiness is toned down a bit. The finish is a bit longer but also comparable. (At Master of Malt)

Talisker 25 at Master of Malt

Talisker 25 year old, 45.8%
Another traditional bourbon cask release that has stopped being Cask Strength a few years ago. Opinions veer towards ‘they shouldn’t have done that’ but as we will see, this is still a pretty tasty dram. Pretty expensive though. On the nose it has quite some citrus and very gentle smoke. Some wood influence and some orange peel too, also a hint of acetone. The palate is incredibly smooth and less peppery than all previous drams. Still full and rich with a bit more wood and a slightly bitter edge. The finish is a bit more fruity and long with hints of crushed black pepper. (At Master of Malt)

Talisker 57 Degrees North, 57%
A strong but not Cask Strength release and at the moment the only regular CS bottling of Talisker. They should do more like these but with the super premiums every year I think they feel covered. This ’57 North’ is a bit sweeter than I remembered the first batch some years ago. That makes it a bit nicer in my book, since I found the previous one very fishy. Smoked eel like. On the nose it’s sweet with a bit of salty smoke. The palate has some oak, fruit and salt. The finish offers the fishy bit, but toned down. It also has some pepper, fruit and is quite rich. Strangely enough, with a drop of water it starts to taste like tea quite a bit. (At Master of Malt)

I’m not as big a fan of the Distiller’s Edition as I expected. The regular 10 takes the ‘entry level prize’. The 25 is pretty stunning, even though the ABV has dropped significantly. I preferred the more batch-like cask strength version. Especially since those were about 50% cheaper! The 57 North is a damn delicious dram to be honest. If the 18 wouldn’t have been available I would have bought this. It’s fairly affordable for such a ‘flavour driven’ dram!

During my visit to the Talisker distillery and the fact that our cottage was about 50 meters from the entrance to the visitor center, I was able to do the extensive tasting tour.

The difference in the tour is, as expected, the tasting at the end and the rest is rather similar with the standard tour, apart from seeing the worm tubs outside the distiller. During the tasting the knowledgeable guide was present too which made for more guidance in tasting and discussion. Good stuff!

Talisker new make spirit, 63.5%
There is the slightest hint of peat, but you have to know that to find it. Mostly it’s sweetness, over ripe fruit and some white pepper on the nose. The palate has quite some peat, surprisingly enough. Also smoke and lots of fruity sweetness again. The finish is slightly medicinal and not very long.

Talisker 10 at Master of Malt

Talisker 10 year old, 45.8%
The standard Talisker and always a good dram. Soft, gentle smoke with some peaty hints and a certain crispness to it. The palate is rather peppery and peaty, with a touch of fruit. The finish is more tropical with peat and smoke. (Master of Malt stocks it)

Talisker 18 year old, 45.8%
This one is much more gentle than the 10 year old. Light smoke, lots of pepper with all flavours boosted. Vanilla, wood, orchard fruits like apples and dried apples too. The palate smooth, well balanced with creamy vanilla, apples and peat. The finish goes back to pepper, smoke, wood and some candied fruit. Rather long as well. (The Whisky Exchange stocks it)

I always thought the 10 year old was a mix of sherry and bourbon casks, but apparently it’s only bourbon casks. The tropical fruit is more in a direction of pineapple and such in both the 10 and 18 year old. While I love the 10 year old and it’s something everyone should try on a regular basis, the 18 is a stunner. I only had a bottle of that years ago and it’s been quite hard to get in The Netherlands, especially at a decent price. Luckily it was for sale in the shop and not too expensive. I picked up a bottle for me and a friend.

I’ve never been a fan of drinking whisky spirits. I find it more something that’s interesting than tasty. In this case that is no different. It’s interesting, but it doesn’t really appeal to me. Didn’t finish it.

Oh, and why should everyone taste the 10 year old regularly? It’s a very solid whisky that reminds many of the fanatics like myself that a good dram doesn’t have to cost € 100.