Origin: Isle of Skye (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 45.8%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry Amoroso
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: Diageo
Average price: € 59.00
Official website: taliskerwhisky.com
Vote: 86/100
At last, across the weary faem,
Frae far, outlandish pairts I came.
On ilka side o’ me I fand
Fresh tokens o’ my native land.
Wi’ whatna joy I hailed them a’ –
The hilltaps standin’ raw by raw,
The public house, the Hielan’ birks,
And a’ the bonny U.P. kirks!
But maistly thee, the bluid o’ Scots,
Frae Maidenkirk to John o’ Grots,
The king o’ drinks, as I conceive it,
Talisker, Isla, or Glenlivet!
These lines are taken from the poem The Scotsman’s return from abroad, composed in 1880 by Robert Louis Stevenson who, as well as being a great writer, was evidently a whisky lover.
With his blessing, then, we return to the Isle of Skye to taste one of the few bottlings of Talisker’s core range that we still miss: the Distillers Edition.
Talisker is one of the thoroughbreds in Diageo’s extensive stable, and more than half of its production is for blends (Talisker is one of the key components of the Johnnie Walker Red Label).
Interestingly, a large proportion of the whisky is shipped by tanker to central Scotland, where it’s matured, while only 4,500 casks remain on Skye, in warehouses overlooking the sea.
Proposed at 45.8% ABV, with no chillfiltration, this Distillers Edition comes from 10 years of ageing in ex-Bourbon casks followed by a few months in ex-Sherry Amoroso casks.
The 2019 edition was distilled in 2009 and bottled in the autumn of last year.
Tasting notes
The colour is a warm gold.
On the nose, on a light base of salt and smoke, you can detect, next to the white pepper typical of Talisker, decidedly sweet notes: a scent of white pizzutella grapes, a bite of apple and a fragrance of puff pastry. A touch of bacon and a hint of almonds peep out. After a few minutes, a rather strong impression of fortified wine emerges. This is a complex nose, in constant movement.
On the palate, Talisker’s marine character asserts itself resolutely: the sweet aromas gradually lose their intensity, while the pepper at times inflames the palate. Like a feeling of nostalgia, a vinous note accompanies the whole from afar.
The finish is long and absolutely peppery.
An original Talisker, and in some passages even unpredictable, in which the refinement in ex-sherry casks is especially noticeable on the nose.
A whisky of absolute respect, for those who detest banality.
Other perspectives:
The Whiskey Jug