Kippers, anyone?
3. Talisker (10yo, 45.8%)
Never wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, or see an extra hour in Gatwick Airport due to a delayed flight go to waste, I thought I'd crack on with this adventure in whisky by ticking the third distillery box. This time it's another island malt - Skye - and a wee dram to help pass the time. I know that Talisker is generally well regarded in the world of malts, and certainly by Diageo who use it as the island representative in their Classic Malts collection, though it's not one I've been drawn to over the years for whatever reason.
Tasting notes, after a fashion:
My first Skye whisky on this virtual trip, I think it comes in at about £35 a bottle, which isn't bad for 10 years of love and attention. I paid £4.25 for a 25ml half in the airport, but that's about what you'd expect in an airport bar.
On the nose undiluted it's full on stuff with what reeks to me of smoke and peat, exceptionally reminiscent of lapsang souchong tea, rapidly followed by...smoked fish. Yep, it does genuinely remind me of breakfast kippers. Bit of black pepper and salt on the tail, but definitely a curious nose this one.
Add a splash of water and the smoke softens out to a lovely sweetness and the fish more or less swims away. Bit more honey sweet and pear drops than fish now, though there still is a tiny hint of kippers if you look hard for it. But it's a really 'flat' nose which is hard to explain, but which doesn't really pull me in.
In the mouth it's full and fiery and peppery with bags of peaty smoke and some barley.
The finish is smoke-filled, malty, full and maybe a bit of peppermint at the end?
I can't decide whether it's a bit flat-footed and single-speed or whether there's a bit more to it behind the mighty whack in the senses it delivers. I like island malts a lot as a rule - so it's confusing me why this is just not working for me like it might. I'm a firm believer in context and mood, so maybe on another night I'll love it, but tonight it's just too clumsy and brash and awkward. Maybe it's the fish.
1/5
Never wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, or see an extra hour in Gatwick Airport due to a delayed flight go to waste, I thought I'd crack on with this adventure in whisky by ticking the third distillery box. This time it's another island malt - Skye - and a wee dram to help pass the time. I know that Talisker is generally well regarded in the world of malts, and certainly by Diageo who use it as the island representative in their Classic Malts collection, though it's not one I've been drawn to over the years for whatever reason.
Tasting notes, after a fashion:
My first Skye whisky on this virtual trip, I think it comes in at about £35 a bottle, which isn't bad for 10 years of love and attention. I paid £4.25 for a 25ml half in the airport, but that's about what you'd expect in an airport bar.
On the nose undiluted it's full on stuff with what reeks to me of smoke and peat, exceptionally reminiscent of lapsang souchong tea, rapidly followed by...smoked fish. Yep, it does genuinely remind me of breakfast kippers. Bit of black pepper and salt on the tail, but definitely a curious nose this one.
Add a splash of water and the smoke softens out to a lovely sweetness and the fish more or less swims away. Bit more honey sweet and pear drops than fish now, though there still is a tiny hint of kippers if you look hard for it. But it's a really 'flat' nose which is hard to explain, but which doesn't really pull me in.In the mouth it's full and fiery and peppery with bags of peaty smoke and some barley.
The finish is smoke-filled, malty, full and maybe a bit of peppermint at the end?
I can't decide whether it's a bit flat-footed and single-speed or whether there's a bit more to it behind the mighty whack in the senses it delivers. I like island malts a lot as a rule - so it's confusing me why this is just not working for me like it might. I'm a firm believer in context and mood, so maybe on another night I'll love it, but tonight it's just too clumsy and brash and awkward. Maybe it's the fish.
1/5
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