Talisker 30 Year

Talisker bottled the aromas of a maritime clifftop trail in the 2012 release of this whisky: the sea spray and heather are so transporting that I swear I could feel a coastal breeze coming from the glass. It’s hard to escape that reverie, but search beyond the island imagery and you’ll find hints of lemon, caramel candy and even fennel. The flavors start soft in the mouth and then burst mid-palate into a spicy mix of black pepper and candied ginger. It’s quite unexpected and overwhelming at first. When the ginger eventually fades after what seems like several minutes, the finish turns to dry tannins. Water accentuates the caramel on the nose and brings out winey/sherry notes. The taste gains a hint of orange and the finish some caramelized sugar and a touch of smoke. It’s a complex whisky that demands attention, particularly to tease out the flavors beneath the explosive pepper mid-palate. Despite it’s beguiling nose, it doesn’t scale the heights of the 18 for all-round pleasure, but it would be nice to have a bottle on hand for times that demand a fantasy island escape. If only I hadn’t finished my 2oz sample in one sitting.

Man, i picked a jewel for my 250th Whisky and for a new year's eve dram. It is no mystery that Talisker is my favorite brand, and this, was remarkable. Bottled at 45.8%abv, a classic Talisker measure. Tawny color, angel touched. On the nose it was fantastic. On the palate it was fantastic. The aftertaste was fantastic. The balance was fantastic. End of the review, 100 points. Ok, ok... i will do it properly. It is a 394$ bottle. Neist point is very much alike for $173. That is the only bad thing about it. Nose: Blackberry marmalade meets peat. Meat, Leather (the mythical leather note from old, matured whiskies). Jam, lots of it. English sauce and a caramel/honey note. Amazing. Palate: Has a sweetness in the back, very pleasant. Explosive pepper. So smoky! I can swear smoke comes out your throat like having a cigarrette. Aftertaste: Salt finish, leather. so complex and pleasant. Incredible dram. A 100 over 100 is my score, a very fair one. Everywhere i look for reviews on this one they agree on the perfect score. It is nlt the best whisky ever, but it sure gets close to it. Slainte! Happy new year!

2017 Release Nose - Ripe apples, honey, oranges, saline Taste - Fruity saline, gentle ashy smoke, minerals, honey, freshly cut apples, sweet mandarins, black pepper bite Finish - Ashy saline, minerals, light mandarins, apples Score - 87/100 Final Thoughts - This felt fairly similar to the 2011 version except that the nose wasn't as pronounced. Similar profile, but I felt as if it was a bit more muted. This felt like it didn't have as much freshly cut fruits and felt a bit more dominated by a mineral aspect, although it did have a slightly more vibrant mandarin vibe vs just a pure orange which was nice. Like the 2011, the body and mouthfeel on this one felt a bit thin for a 30. Enjoyable, but nothing particularly amazing. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Maybe Would I buy a bottle? - No NOTE - All reviews are done without factoring in price.

Whilst I agree with the taste descriptors RM outlined I'm more in alignment with scotch harding's scoring. It has the same issue the bottle of 18 I tried has too hot and harsh. I've tried the 25 twice, once was average and overwooded and once was very good so it seems once again there maybe variation in the top end of the Talisker range. Whilst I have a preference generally for younger Islays or best of all blends of young and old stock I still appreciate the exquisite quality of say the Laphroaig 18 or 25. The older Taliskers I've tried mostly don't even have that. They seem all over the place. I thought initially it was a sample vs bottle thing but I drank a whole bottle of the 18 and it didn't improve. It seems the older dated bottles were a lot higher rated on average... hopefully not another scotch distillery going down the toilet. Hopefully your bottle is a better one @1901!

2011 Release Nose - Vibrant ripe freshly cut apples & pears, hint of salt, milk chocolate, honey, golden raisins Taste - Saline, hint of metallic/ashy peat, ripe fresh apples, lemon zest, hint of bitter orange pith, light clove, honey Finish - Lingering salt, gentle ash/metallic, gentle apple/pear sweet Score - 88/100 Final Thoughts - This had a really fantastic nose, loads of fresh cut apples/pears. Palate was great, but it felt a bit thin & lacked body that I'd expect from a 30 year old Scotch. Flavors were there for a nice maritime lightly peated whisky and this would be a fantastic summer night's dram I feel. Not sure it has the body to stand up to a colder fall/winter vibe. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Maybe Would I buy a bottle? - Not another NOTE - All reviews are done without factoring in price.

1oz pour. On the nose, even better than the 25 year old Talisker. One of the best noses of any whisky I’ve had. Infinite layers of succulent sweetness and savory brine. Really transcends notes. On the palate, I definitely liked the 25 better. This felt softened to oblivion. Subtle complexity is sexy, but there is a point where you can be so subtle that you fail to get any notice. I much preferred to keep this dram around on the side to smell it. Not worth it in the mouth. 92 / 100