All the extremes of Talisker


September 19, 2025

All the extremes of Talisker

Opposition to the demolition and reconstruction of the Carbost distillery appears to continue stirring local communities, who — according to The Herald — still seem firmly against it. Let’s hope the owners won’t tear down the old distillery before being 100% certain they’ll be able to build the new one. But we doubt they’d be quite so short-sighted, wouldn’t you agree On a different note, the gastro restaurant project with The Three Chimneys still seems to be on track, although we could be wrong about that. It remains to be seen whether Talisker’s current production capacity is being fully utilised these days. That could potentially change things on a broader scale, but again, it’s all pure speculation, even if we do know there have been quite a few “pauses” here and there, globally. Especially considering that whisky stocks in maturation have apparently increased by 40% over the past five years for the group as a whole.

Classic magazine ad, France, 2001

Anyway, we’ll see. In any case, we’d much rather enjoy their whiskies than speculate about the inner workings or future of one brand or another. So, let’s get to it, shall we?

Talisker 'Skye' (45.8%, OB, +/-2025)

It's been seven years since we last tasted this little NAS from the entry-level shelf. Fair to say that the last time, back in 2018, I found it rather underwhelming (WF 77), especially when compared with the stunning 10yo (WF 90) that we tend to follow almost every year. Angus liked it even less than I did (WF 76). Colour: gold. Nose: it’s fairly rough, salty, but also a tad vinegary and acidic, with an odd combo of smoke and apple juice, soon joined by a vaguely sour sort of vanilla coconut. Really quite strange, almost a bit flat or stale on the nose. Mouth: clearly not as dramatic as in 2018, perhaps they’ve tweaked the recipe a touch. Loads of seawater, still a drop of vinegar, then a note of soaked sawdust and, eventually, custard that clashes somewhat with the briny smoke. Finish: the ‘plank’ comes to the fore, but the sea and the smoke remain firmly in place. Comments: not entirely my cup of malt, but it does seem a notch better.
SGP:365 - 78 points.

In any case, this Skye was only ever meant as an aperitif…

Talisker 'Storm' (45.8%, OB, +/-2025)

A vatting of casks meant to reinforce Talisker's classic character. We rather enjoyed the last version we tried back in 2022 and certainly found it much better than ‘Skye’ (WF 84). Colour: gold, paler than the Skye. Good sign. Nose: more austere, more rigorous, more precise, yet not without some slightly acidic touches, such as... acidic seaweed. But the roundness from what’s likely new and possibly deep-charred oak soon kicks in, even bringing hints of pineapple that, oddly enough, marry quite well with the peat. A faint medicinal side too, bandages, discreet camphor... In the end, this nose is far more articulate than that of the Skye. Mouth: there’s a bit of fresh oak at first, but it settles down quickly and heads straight for the classic Talisker combo of seafood, smoke, seaweed, lemon, pepper... Finish: good length, with a bit of all that, the aftertaste being faintly honeyed and even a little liqueur-like. Comments: I do like this NAS, though I’d still happily trade a case of it for a single bottle of the 10yo.
SGP:556 - 84 points.

Another NAS...

Talisker 'The Wild Blue 2025 Edition' (48.2%, OB)

A version bottled in 100% recycled glass, in partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation. The juice was finished in an 'Atlantic coastal wine cask', which could mean anything from France to South Africa, Argentina to Canada, more or less. And I’m not even counting the Kent coast! Should I? Colour: deep gold. Nose: ah but this is lovely! Lemon-driven, very fresh, very coastal too, with green apple and a few touches of kippers or even anchovies. Quite different from Skye and Storm, much cleaner—whatever that may mean. Mouth: yes, this is rather excellent, more on rooty notes this time, acidic apple, samphire, and indeed a great deal of freshness. Not sure if they were going for a ‘splash’ effect, but if so, they’ve nailed it. Finish: limoncello shows up, salty, peppery, and mingled with seawater. Throw in a few whelks and you’ve got the next trendy cocktail—just don’t forget to remove the shells. Hints of honey and apple liqueur in the aftertaste, even a wee drop of tequila. Tequila? Comments: bluewashing or not, I think it’s very well done. Here’s hoping they release more editions in years to come.
SGP:555 - 87 points.

Let’s move on to the independents…

Talisker 14 yo 2011/2025 (54.8%, Douglas Laing Old Particular for LMDW Itinéraires, refill hogshead, cask #19975, 227 bottles)

Brand spanking new! We’d already tried a fair few of these vintages from the Laings, though usually at much younger ages. Their razor-blade sharpness always won us over, but let’s see how things have evolved after fourteen years of (presumed) mellowing. Colour: white wine. Nose: gasp, still cuts you clean in half. Was this matured in sandstone? Clay? Porcelain? But we shan’t complain, we adore this surgical style that would make a master’s katana weep with envy. Seawater, iodine tincture, lime, eucalyptus ashes, pure clear line. With water: the austerity of a Zurich banker, paired with the poise of a Greek philosopher. I know, I know... Mouth (neat): certain aspects do echo the best batches of the official 10, particularly that sense of oneness and laser precision. Lemon and pepper-infused seawater. With water: immaculate, and in the end even rather approachable. Hints of wee green bananas. But take care, don’t overdo the dilution, it might snap back. Finish: long, still razor-sharp, perhaps now with the return of a few tiny exotic fruits, like that banana we mentioned earlier. Comments: these vintages don’t budge an inch. One wonders whether they’ll still be like this at 50 years of age, a question for the younger whisky generation. Urgently to be tasted at Whisky Live Paris next weekend.
SGP:555 - 90 points.

We’ll finish with an old legend de la muerte...

Talisker 1957 (53.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, Natural Cask Strength, +/-1975)

We rather like the mention of the owners on the label here: Dailuaine-Talisker Distillers Ltd. Let’s admit it, we had already tasted this baby once before, but that was another bottle and twenty years ago. Alright, nineteen. May I be allowed a revisit? In any case, this juice was produced before the still house was destroyed by fire in 1960, and the barley was in all likelihood still floor-malted on site and distilled using direct fire. In short, there isn’t one Talisker distillery, there have been several, and if the owners’ current plans come to fruition, there’ll soon be one more. That said, why not return to the 1957 methods while they’re at it? Colour: deep gold. Nose: adios. Far oilier, thicker even on the nose, camphory yet less peaty—though that may simply be the wear and tear of time—certainly peppery (a constant), and much more on cooked fruit, including exotics. Even after over fifty years in bottle, it still packs an almighty punch! With water: it tightens up marvellously, all on waxed cloth and old oil cans gathering dust at the back of the garage—or if you prefer, ‘vintage British car’, the connoisseurs will get the picture. Mouth (neat): an incredible maelstrom of all sorts of things, spices, pepper, oysters, bananas, cough syrup, liquorice, camphor, mint, sloe, olive oil, pine honeydew, tar, smoked fish, pipe tobacco, and heaven knows what else. Wow wow wow. With water: it’s like a very old Sauternes from a highly botrytised year. Finish: alas. Comments: another league entirely, sadly not one often visited by more ‘modern’ malts. Nothing more to add.
SGP:564 - 94 points.

Angus quite rightly pointed out the other day here that some of these marvels released in the 1960s, 1970s, and even the 1980s may be starting to show signs of fatigue, bringing malt whisky ever closer to the world of wine. This could well lead collectors and aesthetes to rethink their strategies, and to consider that, after a certain point, it might actually be better to start... drinking some of those bottles. I know, shocking.

(Merci vielmal, Olivier!)

Check the index of all Talisker we've tasted