Talisker 57° North
NAS Talisker… Hmmm….
Talisker is up there on my list of quality malts. Mentally the basic 10 is the standard against which I measure ‘coastal’ whiskies. So I’m really curious to know how a NAS Talisker adds up.
Talisker is of course on the inner Hebridean Island of Skye – beautiful island really in a barren sort of way:
It’s just a pain to get to if you drive today, imagine how hard it was to get to in 1830 when it was founded by Kenneth and Hugh MacAskill. But I suspect that was partly the reason why Skye was chosen for their distillery to start with. A succession of unsuccessful owners later, DCL (later Diageo) finally became its owner in 1916.
Some milestones in Talisker’s history:
1928: Talisker stopped triple distillation. So if you ever ever get to try a pre 1928 Talisker, well, please let me know how it was like. Better yet save me a sample.
1960-1962: A fire at the distillery destroyed/damaged the 5 stills (remember history of triple distillation) and identical copies were made. The decision to make 5 and not 4 bellies the fact that each feature of a distillation process can have a great impact on the spirit.
1972: Floor maltings cease. Today Talisker’s 22 ppm malt comes from Glen Ord Maltings, peated with peat from Caithness. (Exactly why this is so, I have not heard a definitive reason.There may be none.). Also coal makes way for steam coils.
Maturation takes place in Skye, though new make is taken to the mainland to be filled into barrels before the whole lot are brought back to Carbost. The peculiarities of economics.
Talisker 57° North, 57% ~2013 bottling
Nose: Peat and coast. No surprise here.Fishermen’s nets, and knotted seaweed. Gusty sea winds and salt in the air. Wet wool sweaters and fishscales. So yes. Pretty maritime.Very ‘fresh’ but quite straightforward as well. Bit of muck, more peatsmoke. At the back of the nose something very woolly.
Palette: Spicy, hot and pepper. It’s spirit is Talisker for sure. Lava of the Cuilins indeed.Bit sweet, not as ‘intense’ as the old 10 I have enjoyed. Ok that calms down a bit and salt and shellfish appear. Simple stuff but excellent backbone. Warming and bracing, some wood, some cream, more malt, some peat and bitter oranges.
Finish: Medium, salty, ashy and smoky.
Simple but straightforward. It’s essence of Talisker, indomitable despite being NAS.
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- Millburn 36 yo 1969 / 2005 Douglas Laing #DL2152 50% vs Glenburgie 40 yo 1963 / 2003 Signatory #4751 56.4%
- Ben Nevis 23 yo 1996 / 2019 Single Malts of Scotland for the Nectar #536 51.3% vs A Speyside Distillery 32 yo 1989 / 2022 Thompson Bros 51.4%
- Brora 22 yo 1972 / 1995 Rare Malts 61.1% vs Brora 22 yo 1972 / 1995 Rare Malts 58.7%
- Talimburg 19 yo 1986 / 2005 The Whisky Fair #1485 45.9% vs Talisker 20 yo 1981 / 2002 62%
- Caol Ila 12 yo Bulloch Lade for Zenith 43% vs Caol Ila 30 yo 1979 / 2010 Berry Bros #4604/5 55.6%
- Clynelish 29 yo 1965 Whyte & Whyte 52.1%
- Brora 21 yo 1982 / 2003 Signatory #416 58.4% vs Clynelish 27 yo 1982 / 2009 Synch Eli Daily Dram 46%
- Dornoch 5 yo 2017 / 2023 #46 ‘Jasper Broers’ 57.9% vs Shizuoka ‘private cask’ 2017 / 2022 #2017-108 61%
- Clynelish 26 yo 1993 / 2020 Carn Mor #11215 52.7% vs Bowmore 17 yo 2004 /2021 SMWS 3.327 ‘Siren’s Song’ 57.1%
- Talisker 25 yo ‘Bottle TA25 3987’ 45.8% ~ bottle code L0296CM004 bottled 2020 vs Ledaig 11 yo 2008 / 2019 The Swan Song & 1BRD #700104 58.7%
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