Talisker 10Talisker was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill and was for many years the only distillery on Skye. Sourcing water from Cnoc nan Speireag (Hawk Hill) in Carbost and its grain from Muir of Ord, the distillery was rebuilt in 1880 and again in 1960 after a fire. Talisker’s malt is peated to a medium level and the water used runs over peat, providing potential added complexity. The Talisker 10 Year is the cornerstone of the core offerings and is aged in ex-bourbon American oak casks. 

Distillery: Talisker
Region: Island
Age: 10 years
Strength: 45.8%
Price: $59.99
Maturation: ex-bourbon American oak casks
Location: Carbost, Isle of Skye
Nose: Smoke, peat, brine, apple blossom, pear
Palate: Sugar, smoke, brine
Finish: Brine, peat, smoke

Comments: Water is not needed. Seems strange that we existed as a club for over a decade without visting this malt.

Adam – There’s no wonder that the Talisker 10 has illicited awards and responses across the years. The scent of apple blossoms greets you, wreathed in smoke and brine. There’s an evocative, understated sweetness here, and I’m not sure if it’s from the peat, the smoke, a tinge of fruit, but it gives character to the whole scherade. Even stronger fruit element after you’ve had a few sips. The palate is big brine and small smoke with that same subtle sweetness from the nose, finishing with just a redialing of the same elements but at different levels, albeit with the peat from the nose brought back. A very rounded, whole dram.

Henry – Light tropical fruity sweetness, brine, and turf on the nose, with that green peat note I have been craving as the days shorten and the rain comes. The same three balanced notes continue through the midpalate, with a pleasant tannic astringency appearing toward the end of the palate and brine and smoke predominating on the finish.

Ben – I think the Talisker 10 really has an honest nose. And I believe it will deliver. It gets dry at the edges of the tongue a little bit. Makes me want to go to the seaside, every Talisker. It promises with the nose the smoke and the peat and the sweetness, a sweetness from the grain, the brine – and then you taste it and it delivers and you’re so happy about it. Then you smell it again and all that stuff is elevated to the next level. It’s a keeper of a bottle. 

I like the way the brine comes back at the end of the finish, a salty kick in the teeth there.

Bill – The nose is sweeter after taking a first few sips, like a cane sugar. I like the way the brine comes back at the end of the finish, a salty kick in the teeth there.

Mike – Talisker 10 is a good base bottle. It’s never been mind-blowing for me but I’ve always typically enjoyed it. I’m getting a lot of apple on the nose. A second nose gives a sweeter reaction. There’s a straight fructose sense to the sweetness.