Talisker Port Ruighe - Review
Age: No age statement
Barrel type: Ex-bourbon barrels and ex-port pipes
Region: Isle of Skye
ABV: 45.8%
Price: $60
Additional details: chill filtered, color added
We bought this bottle in Paris on one of the last days of our vacation there last September, but it's taken me a while to review it, mostly due to benign neglect. This bottle has had a few drams extracted from it in the last few months, but I haven't sat down to write real tasting notes for it. Port Ruighe is one of Talisker's regional exclusives, available in Europe but none the United States. Its name is pronounced "Port Ree," the name of the main port town on Skye, the isle that Talisker calls home. This expression finishes its education in port pipes, which lend the well-balanced, slightly smoky, rich Talisker base into a sweeter, fruitier drink.
Appearance: Talisker adds color to their whiskies, so I'm not sure that it matters much, but this whiskey has taken on some of the rich, ruby-brown shade that one would expect from a port-finished whisky. What can I say, it looks nice! Talisker's bottle is similar in shape to Lagavulin, and in fact may be the same bottle. Among Talisker's bottlings, Port Ruighe is one of the cooler-looking ones, especially compared to the 90's-esque appearance of the Storm and Dark Storm bottlings.
Nose: Port Ruighe has great balance between the rugged nature of the underlying single malt and the influence of the port finish, which could make other whiskies overly sweet (I'm imagining a port-finished Balvenie and shuddering). The initial scents are earthy and briny, before a powerful wash of vanilla and chocolate icing takes over, and then an enduring base layer of orange and slight smoke.
Palate: Compared to the bountiful nose, the palate opens up more reluctantly. The flavor has herbal and youthful hints at the outset, but the mid-palate has abundant milk chocolate and caramel, along with some more citrus and the first emergence of Talisker's signature pepper. Talisker produces fairly complex single malts, without being overly challenging, and this one is no exception.
Finish: The port sweetness shines through at the end, accompanied by mild smoke, citrus, and pepper. The finish is more bitter than I would like, but it's a minor flaw. Port Ruighe has a lengthy coda but doesn't overstay its welcome.
Value for Money and Final Impressions: In the world of overpriced and low-quality special editions and no-age-statement single malts, I'm pretty pleased with Talisker's changeups to their core lineup. Storm and Dark Storm are both pretty tasty drams, which come closer to Islay scotches in their assertive smokiness, while Port Ruighe is more of a sweet, dessert dram, performing a role that none of the distillery's other scotches do quite as ably. At about $60 a bottle, this is a solid value play, especially for big Talisker fans like this household.
Rating: B+