Talisker Port Ruighe

Island or Islay? That’s my current conflict. Where are my personal whisky favourites concentrated? I’m pretty sure that between Arran, Highland Park, and Talisker the podium is fully stacked. I think by the end of a reasonable run on Talisker I have lined up I’ll have my answer. For now. I have six Taliskers under my belt, and eight in this series to savour. Opening tonight with Port Ruighe. Named after the old Isle of Skye trading port, which was coincidently used to trade… port. this liquid was Talisker's second no age statement release for 2013, and it has stuck around. A positive sign perhaps. Port Ruighe combines whisky matured in European and American oak refill casks and heavily charred oak casks; blended, and finally transferred into ex-port casks for finishing. N: Quite aggressive. A powerful wave of woody smoke, a little iodine and band aids, waxiness and the important Talisker briny sea spray. The port cask is weak to me, there is a very gentle chocolate note, a vague suggestion of citrus peel and an over ripe plum. Peppery wood spice picks up eventually. This nose is big, loud and perhaps a little jumbled. Lots to work through in here. As this has opened up further, jammy figgy elements became apparent. P: Oily and warningly tannic mouthfeel. A beautiful smoke and black pepper entry gives way to a lovely salty mineralogy. This is Talisker, no questions. The left turn comes through too. Not the gentle sweetness of T10 but rather a more viscous dark sticky red fruit sweetness, some bright orange oil spritzes and a creamy milk chocolate. F: Medium-long. Fresh red chilli spice, a little coffee bitterness, a faint red fruit syrupy sweetness and a long goodbye from a beach bonfire. I am conflicted. I actually tried this a few years ago in a liquor store, but took no notes. My impression then is little changed now. Whilst the nose promises a smorgasbord, it doesn’t fully deliver. What is there, as individual elements are lovely. But, there is something that doesn’t quite mesh between the core Talisker elements that are just so good… and the juxtaposed sticky-sweetness of the Port Cask influence. There is also something detractive about the wood here, it adds a muting astringency, not a delicate spice lift. Then, there is the price. The price doesn’t affect the merits of the whisky, but the price point for me is AUD$158.99 or $115 online when on sale. T10 is around AUD$98. Thats an easy call to make. Normally I am a sucker for a Port cask, but this feels rushed, incautious and unbalanced. My lowest Talisker rating yet. I am not wavering from my opening paragraph though! Distiller whisky taste #256 [Pictured here with a sapphire-garnet-biotite gneiss from Zazafosty Quarry, Madagascar. A high temperature metamorphic rock formed from originally muddy sediments at the high temperature extremes of metamorphism around 494 million years ago] Talisker running scores: T10: 4/5 T18: 4.75/5 T8 2021 Special Release: 4.5/5 Skye: 3.25/5 Port Ruighe: 2.75/5 57 North: 4.25/5 X Parley Wilder Seas: 4.25/5

Nose: classic Talisker, you feel the sea inside. Peat, brackish, burnt rubber, bonfire. Impossible not to recognize it! Palate: pleasant warmth that pervades the mouth, sweet, honeyed. The brackish moves away to leave room for the delicacy and warmth given by the aging in port barrels. Final: long, the heat remains and it is splendid. I'm not a fan of nas, but an excellent job has been done here: whisky that appears to be at least 18 years old for its body. Rating 4.25 ____________________________________ Naso: classico Talisker, ci si sente il mare dentro. Torba, salmastro, gomma bruciata. Non si sbaglia. Palato: calore piacevole che pervade la bocca, dolce, mieloso. Il salmastro si allontana per lasciare spazio alla delicatezza ed al calore date dalla maturazione in botti di porto. Finale: lungo, il calore rimane ed è splendido. Non sono un fan dei nas, qui è stato fatto un eccellente lavoro: whisky che sembra avere almeno 18 anni per la sua corposità. Voto 4,25

Nose: A boozy spiced cinnamon and ripe red apple. Reminds me of the autumn season; very crisp and orchard like. An earthy smoke. A slight sourness and peppery note. Palate: Sweet and sour! Again very red apple and a spicy Christmas like note. The wine/port influence is felt. Slightly woody and dry forward of the middle palate. Citrusy orange peel is accompanied by a very gentle smoke. Not nearly as much as I’m used to from a Talisker. Does taste crisp and more so on the younger side (not entirely a bad thing and to be expected). Dark earthy notes throughout Finish: Short to medium finish. It’s sweet but more on the dry side. Does have a very ripe fruit juice and cocktail taste to it. The smoke that lingers is not strong to me at all. Red fruit and wood sultanas are what stay with me the most. The wine sourness is there throughout.

A rich, Single Malt Scotch Whisky by Talisker Distillery at Carbost, on the the Isle of Skye, in Islands, Scotland finished in Port casks after an initial ageing process in refilled American & European casks (essentially the Talisker 10-Year-Old finished in a port casks). It has an aromatic birth with notes of sea spray, vanilla, Crayola crayons, turf, raisins, putty, Jaffa cake, orange pith, plum & white chocolate; while a rich & smoky life adds notes of berries, peat, sponge cake, damson jam, chocolate raisins, gingerbread & chili; that led to a thick & chewy death with notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, mocha, pepper & oak. January 2020 / August 2022

This is absolutely splendid commonly accessible whisky especially for people who like to wander between Highland and Isla whisky or people on adventure to the peaty stuff. Smell is delicious, sweet and sour like overriped fruit, some salt and drop of peat to it. The taste is great, that rich fruitiness mixes with little brine and wood. Hint of saltiness. Still that grain rich body of proper whisky holds the backbone of whole sip.

Nose: Sea spray with a beach wood smell or as if you were sitting at a dock. Taste: chili/cinnamon spicy and pretty waxy flavored (little bit of dislike for that for me) with a couple drops of water reveals some peat which is great. Finish: very simple. Short lasting. A Hershey Kiss finish. I gave this one a 3.75 because my tastebuds found the flavor a little weaker than I was expecting but I am a very peaty scotch drinker.