This Talisker 18 year old was part of the family tasting a few weeks ago, and thanks to a poll on my Instagram, this is the first of the four bottles I will be reviewing, and next week that’ll be a lovely 12 year old Arran from Gordon & MacPhail. The other two bottles will have to wait until sometime in January.
I chose this Talisker for the tasting because no one had tasted it before, and it was years ago for me. Moreover, I saw that this bottle is way more expensive in the UK than in the Netherlands (I paid €129, and in the UK, it costs about £175). So it could just be that the price here in the Netherlands could soon also experience a significant increase. So I thought now was the time to try this classic again and introduce my family to it. That turned out to be a great choice because we all liked it, and luckily there was still some left, so I could taste it again in the comfort of my own home and write this review. 🙂
This Talisker has matured in bourbon and sherry casks and is bottled at a strength of 45.8% ABV.
Talisker 18 year old tasting notes:
Nose: An elegant layer of smoke and plums. Then it goes towards oranges and a floral note. Followed by a hint of vanilla and acacia honey. Later also toffee and a bit of ginger in the back.
Taste: Subtle smoke again.Oranges. Honey, dark chocolate, and toffee. Roasted coffee beans in the background. And that very distinctive peppery note and cinnamon.
Finish: medium in length and a little bit drying. An oak note. Pepper, dark chocolate. Tobacco leaves, but also a light herbal note.
For €129 this is a no-brainer and great value for money! However, if the price rises to the same amount as in the UK, I will have to think twice about repurchasing it…. It’s quite the difference. Nevertheless, it was really great to taste this again after all those years, and what a beautiful single malt it still is! Subtly smoky, with a lovely sweetness and that peppery note that is so characteristic of Talisker. Very well-balanced and of excellent quality. A classic!
