Talisker Storm

TALISKER SHOWDOWN Talisker Storm Talisker 10 Talisker Distiller’s Edition Talisker 18 Continuing to work through whiskies in my collection that I’ve not yet reviewed. I’ve had various Talisker expressions many times over the years—it was one of the first single malts I enjoyed over two decades ago—and again I’m surprised that I’ve yet to review any of them. The four listed above are the ones I currently own. I recall not liking the Storm as much the last time I tried it, and also recall liking the 10-year a bit more than the Distiller’s Edition and the 18-year. On the whole, Talisker has been one of my favorite distillers, not only from my history but also on what I feel to be its own merits. Talisker Storm Rich, bold amber color, akin to Pantone 130. The nose shows sweet honey, apricot, smoky peat, iodine, and salt. There is an immediate spiciness on the palate, with a sweet undernote, and a slightly viscous mouthfeel. The finish is long, and shows a healthy amount of continued white-pepper spiciness, quickly transitioning to some iodine and plenty of smoke, which begins as a smoky peat but also shows char on the long finish. I like the Storm better than I recall. I believe that my prior not-quite-dislike was due to an incorrect belief that it was finished with added wood, like the added staves used by Maker’s Mark in their wood-finished series. At the time, I viewed this negatively, as I was influenced by the use of wood chips by some California wineries, which was viewed as “cheap.” Maker’s Mark has been able to pull off a small miracle with their wood-finished series, which does use added staves, but I have no information that Talisker Storm employs that approach regardless. Talisker Storm is a nice balance of sweetness and smoke. It currently retails for a little over $50. Would I buy it again? Yes, if for no other reason to complement the 10-year. 4.0 on the Distiller scale. NAS. The light color suggests that there is no coloring added, though neither the bottle nor website mention this. 45.8% ABV. Talisker 10 Color is a few shades darker than the Storm; burnt orange, near Pantone 138. The nose is more effusive than the Storm, with an added fruity intensity, showing light honey, some lemon custard, dates, clove, ocean salt, smoky peat, and even a Laphroaig-like Band-Aid aspect. Again, there is a gentle palate viscosity, and added intensity, and an almost-acidic citrus element. The finish lacks the Storm’s length, with lighter smokiness, and also shows a touch of sweet vanilla and orange bitters. I’ve noted in several reviews my distaste for the relatively low ABV in some whiskies; 40% ABV is the minimum allowed, and several distillers bottle at 43%. The higher ABV in each of these Talisker impressions is not only appreciated in terms of a (perceived) focus on craftsmanship vs. economics, but it also amplifies the complex flavors. Talisker 10 is available for around $60 retail. Would I buy it again? Unequivocally. 4.0 on the Distiller scale. Talisker Distiller’s Edition The Distiller’s Edition is darker still than the 10-year, due to the sherry-cask aging; clear Pantone 153. Wonderfully complex nose shows chocolate-covered cherries, bacon jam, a whiff of cool menthol, and evident vanilla, which suppresses (but does not eliminate) the smoky peat of the 10-year. The palate has a little glycerin, honey, dried orange peel, liquified pralines, and Honey-Nut Cheerios. A gentle spiciness leads to a slightly smoky peat, some leather dryness, and a cereal note. The Distiller’s Edition combination of peat and sweet is a kinder, gentler version of an Ardbeg Uigeadail or Corryvreckan, and it reminds me of a story. A few years ago, a friend who was not a whisky enthusiast took me to Milroy’s in London’s SoHo. In order, we had a 60.4% ABV Chichibu bottled exclusively for Milroy’s; a Glenfarclas 24, also for Milroy’s; a Hibiki 21; a Nikka Pure Malt 21; a Glendronach 25; and then the Ardbeg Corry, as I’d wanted him to experience a sweet-peat whisky. It was a mistake, and was entirely incongruous with those that preceded it, rendering the Corry (which I like) offputting. In fact, I may have disabused him of any appreciation of peated whisky as a result (the upside of that is one less purchasing competitor). In hindsight, the Talisker Distiller’s Edition would have been more appropriate, as it shows the same sweet and smoke in a more restrained manner. Would I buy the Talisker Distiller’s Edition again? Yes. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. Diageo’s “Distiller’s Editions” employ additional aging in sherry casks. The Talisker in particular takes the 10-year expression which is then double-matured in Amoroso casks. 45.8% ABV. This bottle distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2019. Talisker 18 The 18-year is lighter in color than the Distiller’s Edition, but darker than the 10-year, which one would expect with eight years of additional age; clear Pantone 144. The nose is sweet, with brown sugar and vanilla, gentle and creamy lemon custard, and very gentle peat smoke. The palate is sweet, but a different sweetness than the Distiller’s Edition: honey, crème brulee, and even a little bananas Foster. The finish is white pepper, which lingers long, as well as some smokiness manifesting as bacon. The peat is there, but it pales in comparison to the Storm (which I tasted again immediately following this). Talisker 18 is a special whisky, and can be found for about $180. For me, it’s more of a special occasion dram. It needs to be appreciated for what it is: an aged whisky from the Isle of Skye which shows the power of the ocean with the finesse of 18 years of aging. Would I buy it again? As long as I had the discretionary income, yes. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. 45.8% ABV, consistent with the other Talisker expressions here. I enjoy writing these “showdown” reviews, but the intent is not necessarily to rank order them, but rather to compare similar whiskies side-by-side in order to better delineate their respective differences and merits (or lack thereof). The general pattern here, from first to last, is decreasing smokiness and increasing complexity. And while my qualitative quantification of scores varies, this is not to state that any of these are intrinsically “better” than any of the others; all are good, but they have differing qualities. I would keep each one on hand. Talisker has a loyal following, and there’s not much I can add to the opinions of those who already enjoy it (I am among that group). The Storm is about smoky peat; the “Storm” naming is apt. The 10-year is about the added complexity of a 10-year age statement (and the “softening” of the smoke). The Distiller’s Edition is about the added sweetness of sherry-cask finishing, and its complex interplay with the peaty smoke. The 18 is about the added complexity of additional aging. With additional age comes less ostentatiousness, and thus more introspection; and on a pensive and cloudy day interspersed with rain, I find that the 18 is the most intellectually rewarding. On the whole, these are very good in the aggregate, but not quite as good as I’d recalled. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

TALISKER SHOWDOWN REDUX Talisker Storm Talisker 10 Talisker Distiller’s Edition Talisker 18 (Last reviewed 9/30/23) It’s cool in Connecticut. Chilly, even. Cool means fire. Fire means smoke. Smoke means Scotch whisky. And tonight that’s Talisker. Talisker Storm Honey, smoky peat, pumpkin pie, apricot, kelp, iodine, sea salt. Lightly viscous in the mouth with a honey and peppercorns morphing into a long finish with honey, pear, smoke, vanilla, cured meat, and char. I like the Storm more each time I try it. Not only are the aromatics and flavors powerful and complex, but it’s bottled at 45.8% ABV (vs 43% for average “better” whiskies), which enhances the aesthetics. It’s the least expensive of the lineup, and can be found between $60-$70. Would I buy it again? Yes. 3.75 on the Distiller scale. NAS. The light color suggests that there is no coloring added, though neither the bottle nor website mention this. 45.8% ABV. Talisker 10 Like the Storm, but with the dial turned up. Lots of sweet (honey, apricot, pear) along with peaty smoke. Similar viscosity to the Storm. Long finish with pepper, vanilla, char, saline. I cannot believe that I rated this 4.0 two years ago (especially considering my history with this whisky; I’ve always loved it). The official 96 rating from Distiller is apt; we’re approaching rarified air here. Talisker 10 can be had for $70-80. Would I buy it again? Aye. It’s a tremendous whisky value. 4.5+ on the Distiller scale. 10-year age statement. 45.8% ABV. Talisker Distiller’s Edition Darker than the Storm and 10-year due to the sherry-cask finishing. I could copy-paste my previous notes, as the impression is the same, so I will: “Wonderfully complex nose shows chocolate-covered cherries, bacon jam, a whiff of cool menthol, and evident vanilla, which suppresses (but does not eliminate) the smoky peat of the 10-year. The palate has a little glycerin, honey, dried orange peel, liquified pralines, and Honey-Nut Cheerios. A gentle spiciness leads to a slightly smoky peat, some leather dryness, and a cereal note.” Diageo owns Talisker (and Lagavulin, Oban, and several other whisky brands), and its “Distiller’s Edition” adds sherry-cask aging to each. In the case of Talisker, the 10-year is double-matured in Amoroso casks. It retails for $80-$90. Would I buy it again? Affirmative. And I’ll need to, because I just polished off that bottle. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. 10-year age statement (distilled 2009; bottled 2019). 45.8% ABV. Talisker 18 Pomander, speck, and smoke, but the smokiness is tamped down by the sweetness. Not only honeyed like the other expressions, but carrying a crème brûlée caramelized-sugar aspect as well. If the 10-year is the Storm with the volume turned up, then the 18-year is the 10-year with the dial turned down a bit, but in a direction that’s more complex and assured. White pepper on the finish, along with bacon jam. Talisker 18 is more of a special-occasion whisky. It is an aged whisky from the Isle of Skye which shows the power of the ocean with the finesse of 18 years of aging. Tasted blind, it would not come across as energetic as the others. Would I buy it again? As long as I had the discretionary income, yes. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. 18-yr age statement. 45.8% ABV, consistent with the other Talisker expressions here. The Storm clearly has the youngest flavor profile of the group. The 10-year is the winner here; it is a combination of the strength of youth and the complexity of age. The Distiller’s Edition is nice, but the 10-year already has plenty of sweetness. And the 18 is very good, but it’s more mellow and restrained. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

A lot of people applauded Ardbeg Wee Beastie for being brave enough to put an age statement of 5 years on it. Bold move for a scotch, they said. Just goes to show age isn’t everything, they said. Well, it is and it isn’t. I like the Beastie, and it’s proof that, as long as you keep price in check, younger whiskies with age statements can be enjoyable. After all, when Beatie hit markets around here it was $43. Now it’s $50 ,and it’s pricing me out. If the 10 Year Ardbeg is $65, I’d rather pay $15 more for a superior whisky. And the reason I’m bringing up Wee Beastie here, is The Storm tastes similar: it’s young, there’s NAS, and compared to Talisker 10, it’s not quite worth the asking price unless you can find it on clearance/sale. Or maybe not? I guess it depends on the market. I got this on clearance in NJ at Circle Liquor in Sommers Point where list price was $80 and it was sold for $50. Seems quite a deal. But when I look at prices online, particular Total Wine, it looks like $52 is supposed to be closer to list price anyway, so I bought it on clearance yet at what in some places if full price. Let me just say, this is, in my estimate, a whisky I’d be willing, after I’ve tasted it, to pay about $45 for, which means short of finding it on clearance from the list price of $52, I won’t be buying again. The nose is reminiscent of Beastie in that there’s a Werther’s Original grandpa butterscotch in the pocket note that’s playing with the peat. The butterscotch is running up the slide while the peat is coming down it. There’s also a little bit of vanilla hidden in between them as though they’re playing squish the lemon with an unsuspecting kid who was just hoping to sit there between them nondescript. And maybe a little lemon on the backend. Okay, so given that, its’ a nice nose. Maybe a little more complex than I at first gave it credit for, but far from the delectable dram the 10 Year Talisker is. On the palate the lemon is prominent with the peat, adding a dose of bacon fat that’s the most prominent note for me on the finish, and is, in fact, the most unique note in the whole experience. There’s maybe even an hint of strawberry in there as it fades that reminds me a great deal of the Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength. Overall, there’s really nothing wrong with this, and it’s quite pleasing. It’s the kind of pour I’d never turn down, and if I were at a bar, I might even order it if it was reasonably priced. But since I don’t drink at bars often, I only can tell you what I think is reasonably priced in bottles. I’m sticking with $45 here. If you can find it for that, get it. It may even be worth the list price at $52. I haven’t tasted it side-by-side with the Beastie, but I may prefer this one. They’re both passable young peated scotches whose older brethren are far superior but are also priced that way. Overall, in both cases, you can’t go wrong with the 10 Year, and the younger brothers give hints of what’s to come, even if they can’t live up to their elder siblings records. P.S. I do like the expert reviewer’s note here: “it loses points for a name that doesn't deliver; this is more moody and brooding than stormy and intense." Whereas for Wee Beastie, I kind of liked the name because it sounds like there’s a little harshness contained there and leads me to expect it to have a bite the 10 year doesn’t have, Storm does sort of up the ante and make you think it’s going to go all Scorpions and rock you like a hurricane. Sadly, there is no hurricane here. So in my final assessment I think I'll be docking this a quarter star from my Beastie rating.

Talisker Storm is a NAS released in 2013 offered more or less alongside T10. The difference to the T10 is mainly in the use of shaved and (deeply) re-charred ex-bourbon casks. The liquid poured into the casks though is a blend of three year old and 25 year old Talisker. N: Dry cool smoke with crisp ocean spray. A prickle of cracked pepper. Slight malty honey sweetness comes forward and is reminiscent of the T10s honey sweetness, but this pushes sweeter into a banana territory and maybe some pear. Is there a floral note, I’m not sure? P: Thick and heavy on arrival with a smack of pepper. Smoke is warm and slightly tannic. Earthy, mineral brine turns to the Talisker red chilli. There is a creaminess in here too, I think its coming from the wood and lands somewhere between toffee and oaked-chardonnay. F: Medium. The smoke fades to red chilli quite quickly, whilst it does though there is a cooling and refreshing lift from a semi-sweet floral note. I think that could just be young new make pushing through? Whatever it is, I’m here for it. As the sip fades completely there is a feeling of embers and beach pebbles. Nose lacks the impetus of the T10 but drifts towards memories of the T18; perhaps this is the combination of old (rumoured 25YO) and young stock. Palate is a bit flat, the youthful elements are fighting with the touches of older stock. The finish is where this gets good in my opinion the fade from smoke to lifting bright sweetness is wonderful. I have a problem with this whisky though. It feels like an unnecessary NAS cash grab; the same as Skye (only this is a bit better). Written on the box is “Clouds begin to gather over the black Cuilin mountains, you can see the mood darken. You can taste it too. Deep smoke swirls with spice. Feel the intensity rise as the storm sets in”. I have never struggled with picturing a rugged coast or a lonely lighthouse keeper facing the storm when drinking Talisker. So, with Storm I was expecting something akin to the 8YO Special Release ‘Sea Fury’. Instead, I found fading intensity and a lack of depth in the palate. The nose held promise, the finish went a calm, but enjoyable, direction. This just isn’t a storm. Ultimately drink this if its available. But, preference T10 if you want an accessible brooding sea. Drink T18 if you want the calmer, softer side of Talisker. Distiller whisky taste #257 [Pictured here with a ruby-garnet schist from the tiny island of Khit Ostrov in the far west of Russia. This rock took quite a journey. Originally laid down as a 2.8-2.5 billion year old muddy sediment it had its chemistry and mineralogy completely rearranged by hydrothermal fluids 2.3 billion years ago. Then, smashed up in a mountain building event 1.9-1.8 billion years ago produced the final form, complete with rubies.] Talisker running scores: T10: 4/5 T18: 4.75/5 T8 2021 Special Release: 4.5/5 Skye: 3.25/5 Port Ruighe: 2.75/3 Storm: 3.5/5 57 North: 4.25/5 X Parley Wilder Seas: 4.25/5

My final entry of the Talisker core 4. I’m a massive fan of the other three, so I’m expecting a lot of the profile despite this being the youngest of the bunch. It’s technically sub-entry level, but it’s still Talisker, and for that, I’m looking forward to this. Nose: Heavy peat and campfire smoke. Sea salt and seaweed. Fudge and cocoa. Milk chocolate. Sun-dried tomato. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black and white pepper, and oak. Palate: Milk chocolate and caramel. Vanilla, butterscotch, and sugar cookie. Salt water taffy. Some floral notes. Raisin. The seaweed, sea salt, smoke, and peat are in the background here. Ballpark pretzel. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black and white pepper, and oak. Finish: Sugar cookie, vanilla, and toffee. Sea salt, seaweed, and light peat smoke. Milk chocolate. Caramel and raisin. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length, slightly above average even. Awesome. Talisker is always a winner. This is their “basic” offering. According to the notes I listed above, it should be clear that I do not consider this to be anything but basic. Bold, brash, and briny. Always a power-puncher, and consistently high-quality and complex. 4.5/5 for this one, which is the lowest rating I’ve given a Talisker. That says a lot about how I feel about the quality. Great VFM at $57. Excellent.

Total Score : 3.5 [Eng] [Nose] - Dark, smoky, peaty flavors - Clear and obvious. dried fruit sweetness and citrus (but not grape) - Woody and oaky, like burnt firewood - Malty, grainy, savory flavors (not nutty) + Empty glasses have a strong berry-like, tart, chewy sweet flavor [Pallete] - Oily and light. - The unmistakable salty and umami flavors of the sea. - Refreshing sweetness. - Balanced savory without being overpowering. - Slightly spicy. [Finish] - Some tannin-like bitterness. - Rich oak and soft smoky flavors. - Lingering warming sensation in the throat. [Kor] [Nose] - 짙은 스모키한 피트향 - 선명한 건과일의 달콤함과 시트러스(포도류는 아님) - 탄 장작 같은 우디함과 오크향 - 몰트, 곡물의 고소한 향 +빈잔은 베리류 같은 새콤하면서 찐득한 달콤한 향이 강함 [Pallete] - 오일리하고 라이트함. - 확실한 바다의 짠맛과 감칠맛 - 상쾌한 달콤함. - 과하지 않게 균형잡힌 고소함. - 살짝 매운 느낌이 있음. [Finish] - 타닌 같은 쓴맛이 조금 느껴짐. - 진한 오크향과 부드러운 스모키한 향의 여운. - 은은한 따듯한 느낌이 목에 오래 남음.