Distillery: Talisker
Region: Islands
Age: 10 years old
abv: 45.8%

Talisker may have been “made by the sea”, but there is nothing fishy about their whiskies. Being the only distillery on the Isle of Skye, Talisker is a perfect reflection of the island on which it was produced. Rugged, windswept and utterly breathtaking, Skye’s favourite drink has weathered the storms since 1830.

Despite a flurry of No Age Statement releases in recent years, Talisker 10 year old continues to hold its own as one of the distillery’s finest expressions (the same coincidentally can be said for the 18 year old). Bottled at the distillery’s customary 45.8%, Talisker 10 has taken on many of Skye’s coastal influences during the maturation process. The result is a bold whisky that packs quite a punch, despite being only mildly peated.

Colour: Deep amber

Nose: At first overwhelmingly salty, with pungent briny notes. Then subtle wood smoke comes to the fore, giving way to the scent of toffee. Underneath linger the rich aromas of apricot and dark chocolate.

Palate: An eruption of peppery smoke, dissipating into earthty malt flavours. Smoked kippers accompany this whisky throughout.

Finish: Bitter, with an intensely woody aftertaste. Warms you like the glow of a peat fire on a cold Skye night.

Verdict: A great dram for in front of the hearth fire. Not overly complex, but this was never meant to be a delicate whisky. Warming, intrepid and no-nonsense, this whisky delivers exactly what it should.

Score: 
Value for money: 🤩🤩🤩🤩