We were out shopping one Saturday morning when I saw the bottle of Talisker 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky and bought it on the spot. Friends have been sharing pictures of bottles from this distillery for ages. A book I on whisky food pairings listed this as one of the best drams to pair with food and I realised that did not have it in my collection.
A few weeks later, I got around to opening the bottle. Now looking back, I can’t imagine why I waited so long. I bought this less than six months ago, and already I need to buy a second bottle.
Talisker is the oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye. The distillery was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill, on the shores of Loch Harport. The distillery was updated over the years and changed hand a few times. In 1960 disaster struck. A still-house fire tragically destroyed the distillery.
Fortunately, the distillery was completely rebuilt. Exact copies of the old stills and five replicas of the original stills were constructed to maintain the preservation of the original Talisker flavour.
The malted barley used in production comes from Muir of Ord. Talisker whisky is typically peated to a phenol level of approximately 18–22 parts per million (ppm). Combine this with the harsh terrain and mineral-rich water from Cnoc nan Speireag; this creates a specific taste profile that is typical Talisker.
Diageo added Talisker to its Classic Malts portfolio together with Glenkinchie and Laphroaig, to name a few. The Talisker 10 yo single malt whisky is the lead whisky of Johnnie Walker Red Label. Other releases in the Talisker range include the Talisker Skye and Talisker Storm single malt whisky.
Also Read: Highland Park 1997 Vintage whisky
The Talisker single malt whisky is mostly aged in American oak casks.
ABV: 45.8%
COLOUR: Warm bright gold
NOSE: Peat, smoke, waves of salty sea air with hints of dried fish and seaweed. There are hints of fresh fruity sweetness and orange blossoms. Inviting and refreshing.
PALATE: Peat, smoke with hints of ash and salt. It is all wonderfully balanced out with a fruity sweetness with hints of pepper and malt. Just wonderfully delicious. There are faint hints of chocolate in the background. Adding water releases a bit more of the fruity sweetness.
FINISH: Rich and rewarding ending on notes of faint peat, bits of pepper and soft sweetness.
RATING: EXCELLENT
The Talisker 10 year old an exceptional single malt Scotch whisky. It is certainly not the most complex whisky, but it is creamy and wonderfully balanced. This combination ensures that it is easy drinking and delicious. If I can take only one bottle with me to a desert island, it would probably be this one.
Best of all, it is not that expensive either. It retails for around R680 in South Africa and ₹ 5,610 in India. If you have not yet tried this release, what are you waiting for?
I saw a book that paired the Taliskers 10 year old whisky with so many dishes. The book was called ‘Whisky & Food’ by Jan Groth and Arne Adler and they were correct. The Talisker 10 year old whisky is perfect to pair with food, including seafood such as freshly shucked oysters. It also works very nicely with Comté cheese.
As part of my comparative series, I did an evaluation between the Talisker 10 and the Ardbeg 10 year old whisky. Follow the link to see how they stack up against each other.
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