Talisker 18 - Review
Age: 18 years
Barrel type: ex-bourbon barrels
Region: Islands (Isle of Skye)
ABV: 45.8%
Price: $140
Additional details: chill filtered, color added
Talisker is one of my favorite distilleries, but don't take my word for it. Robert Louis Stevenson referred to it as the "king o' drinks," and James Bond (the 90s Pierce Prosnan version, anyways) also enjoyed a glass in a movie or two.
Talisker is the only distillery on the Isle of Skye, an island off the northwest coast of Scotland. As the only distillery in that location, it's bound to have some unique characteristics, although it shares some similarities with its other island brethren, including Islay scotches. Talisker uses lightly peated barley, and their bayside location imparts some of the same briney, sea air quality that we whisky lovers associate with the best scotches. Talisker's signature is a peppery bite on the palate and finish, most evident in their younger bottlings.
Their 10-year old expression is one of my favorite scotches, although not one I've reviewed on this blog yet. Now I have a sample of their considerably older and more expensive 18-year old version, and I'm excited to see how it stacks up!
Appearance: This is a sample review, so I won't comment much on the bottle -- hey, it looks nice in pictures! The scotch itself is a warm, orange color, very similar to Lagavulin 16. That kind of makes sense, since both are Diageo products and both have artificial coloring added. It evenly coats the glass and has nice, thick legs.
Nose: The nose is somewhat generic for a scotch, and I wouldn't be able to pick it out as a Talisker -- certainly not as much as the more distinctive 10 or Storm scotches. There's some chalky gravel and a light touch of smoke to the nose, but the more enduring notes are malt, orange, and apple (not much different than a lot of Highland scotches). In the background, I detect some jasmine.
Palate: Talisker's signature note is pepper, and it remains prominent even after all those years of development in the barrel. The fruit transforms into sweet plum, and this scotch has an oily, waxy mouthfeel that's quite unique. Then there is a huge, musky floral note that hits right at the swallow. After a slight letdown on the nose, this scotch makes a strong comeback here.
Finish: Talisker 18 ends with stronger notes of smoke and salt than are present in its flavor profile, although those flavors are still counterbalanced by more floral notes. The smoke that emerges on the finish is reminiscent of an older Islay scotch like Laphroaig 18, where it has mellowed out into a toasty, leathery scent rather than being acrid and sharp. There's a cool, interesting, hoppy end, which resembles an IPA. The finish is the best part of this scotch because it lingers with some mild but noticeable features for a long time, and yet it never grows unpleasant, overly bitter, or too drying.
Value for Money and Final Impressions: On the plus side, this scotch is undeniably a refined experience, with some complex and unique flavors. I can't name another whisky that's a close substitute to it. However, I didn't feel the need to rush out and buy a bottle after trying it. It's not as compelling to me as Laphroaig 18, and doesn't have the added layer of dark, ripe sherry fruit that combines so well with lightly peated barley in Highland Park 18. For relative value, the 10 -- which is priced at about half of the cost of the 18 -- has a more distinctive character, and is a bottle that I consider a worthy permanent fixture for any scotch cabinet.
Rating: A-