| |
Home
Thousands of tastings,
all the music,
all the rambligs
and all the fun
(hopefully!)
Whiskyfun.com
Guaranteed ad-free
copyright 2002-2020
|
 |
|
| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
| |
|
| |
| |
May 19, 2020 |
|
  |
Two high-flying Taliskers
to Angus and his dad |
Hugs! Now not too sure about what’s happening with Talisker these days, but what we very well know is what used to happen there. This, for example… |
|
Talisker 22 yo 1979/2001 (64.3%, The Bottlers, refill sherry hogshead, cask #4014) 
Noticed the strength? Let’s remember that The Bottlers used to be #1 on the list of bottlers that we used to maintain with the Malt Maniacs. Colour: gold. Nose: look, not all Taliskers from the 1970s, especially the late 1970s, have been great in my little book, but this is different, showing superb coastal notes, sea air (as in the ads!), oysters, clementines, engine oil (an old boat’s), waxes, tar, hessian, clear notes of sweet chenin (Chaume) and a small medicinal side, rather around balms. Lip balm, perhaps. With water: oh, tar, oysters, orange zests, cough syrup, a touch of soy sauce, houmous, citrons… This is totally amazing, possibly one of the nicest Taliskers I’ve ever nosed. Mouth (neat): pure resinous and citrusy magic. Pine sap blended with limoncello, tobacco liqueur (which doesn’t exist, I’m sure it would kill you), and smoky and salty waters. Let’s not forget the rather huge peppery side, which was very Talisker in the old days. Pink pepper and black pepper. Very thick mouth feel, you’d almost need a spoon to get it out of your tulip (glass). With water: sweet Vishnu, please call the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade! The kind of coastal citrus-smoke combo that just kills. Finish: long, rich, citrusy, creamy, smoky and rather more medicinal. It’s still a little syrupy, thick, and would keep coating your throat for some very long minutes. Comments: amazingly rich, thick, and yet extremely elegant. Another work of art stamped ‘The Bottlers’. Please note that I had this one at 91 before, in the early 2000s, but I had never written any proper tasting notes for it. That was clearly too stingy if you ask me.
SGP:655 - 93 points. |
|
Talisker 1964 (100°proof, Gordon & MacPhail, 26 2/3 fl oz, +/-1975)
Here’s the lovely old black label with the golden eagle, on that famous silkscreened bottle. Certainly a pretty young Talisker, carefully aged in its bottle. No, we can’t wait… Colour: amber. Nose: bam! Truffles, chocolate, new leather, guns, mole sauce, coffee, used engine oil, marmalade, walnut wine, old toolbox, ‘opening the hood of an old British car’, leather polish… With water: fumes, tarmac, kerosene, smoking pipe, cocoa powder, and more engine oil on the ground. And a tiny wet dog. Say a Yorkshire. Mouth (neat): high powers, leather and walnuts, toffee, coffee, orange liqueur, Chartreuse, chocolate, salty touches, our good friends the clams and whelks, and a drop of Worcester sauce. Are you hungry yet? With water: enter Ladies and Gentlemen from the fruit department. Oranges, kumquats, longans, dried figs, raisins, dates… Finish: very long, this time rather on prunes smoked over burning coffee dregs. I’m sure someone must have done that one day, what do you think? Earthier touches in the aftertaste. Comments: I think it’s a tie. And even if it’s not, it should be. Have a good day.
SGP:664 - 93 points. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
