<strong>A new Talisker mini-verticale</strong>


May 20, 2026

A new Talisker mini-verticale

This time we’ll have the new official release from the ‘Rare Series’, a 1992 vintage (there’s also a 1970 Glenury Royal amongst them!!!), followed by an older, and therefore younger, 1989, and finally, the last one in every sense of the term: a 1987 from Gordon & MacPhail. Because it was their last cask!

The new Talisker Rare Series in its natural environment, by the sea. (Diageo)

Talisker 33 yo 1992/2026 (60.1%, OB, Rare Series, 331 bottles)

This version is said to be ‘experimental’ insofar as it spent the last twenty years, and therefore most of its life, in amoroso cask, another name for ‘cream’ sherry, therefore a blend of dry sherry and very sweet sherry, which we imagine may originally have been a batch of ‘Distiller’s Edition’, seeing as Taliskers are finished in amoroso in this series. But we have no proof of that… In any case, it worked extremely well in the ‘DE’ versions, so there is no reason why it should not have worked here. Colour: full gold. Nose: we immediately think of a kougelhopf or a panettone that may have spent a little too long in the oven, with the raisins having become slightly… charred. The thing is, it works perfectly, there is absolutely zero clash between the very coastal side of the distillate and the sweetness of the amoroso, quite the opposite in fact. But at this strength, we shall quickly add water… With water: it becomes drier, more ‘sherried’, more on walnuts and smoked fish, although those very grilled raisins are still there. Mouth (neat): this sweet sherry maturation really does work remarkably well; I am almost surprised. We find the grilled raisins again, the proverbial pepper, seawater, and even hoisin sauce, or ‘sweet sushi sauce’ to put it crudely. On the palate, the high alcohol strength goes down astonishingly well. With water: this time, the water brings out the sherry even more, yet it combines rather perfectly, with menthol and a touch of mustard now emerging. Finish: long, and truth be told, we would gladly dip a few very high-grade sushi into it. We really ought to try that… Bitter chocolate in the aftertaste, and that is even more perfect. Comments: a splendid success indeed but let us not forget that 20 years out of 33 is really not just finishing.
SGP:655 - 91 points.

Talisker 27 yo 1989/2016 (51.6%, Whisky Lovers Hong Kong, for Rex Tong, hogshead, cask #912, 138 bottles)

Here is the sort of beast one may come across at the wonderful Hong Kong Whisky Festival which took place last weekend at the superb InterContinental Grand Stanford hotel, which we warmly recommend. Colour: white wine. Nose: this is Talisker in its natural state, sharp, smoky, mineral, coastal and rather vibratory. Almost a little simple perhaps, but here simplicity pays back a hundredfold. With water: much the same, neither better nor worse. A few touches of sourdough bread. Mouth (neat): seawater, lemon juice and green pepper, all in perfect symbiosis. This goes very fast indeed… With water: lovely slightly fatty oysters with a little Tabasco and lemon juice. And perhaps zero-dosage champagne. Finish: long, a little oilier and more on lemon liqueur at first, before the slightly peppery oysters come back and settle the matter for everyone. Comments: more or less the finest batches of the 10-year-old, with 17 extra years on top. What else did you expect to happen? A magnificent blade.
SGP:566 - 91 points.

Talisker 39 yo 1987/2026 (51.4%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice Heritage Collection, refill sherry butt, cask # 22601101, 300 bottles)

It is rather splendid to see the old black CC labels again, the ones in use during the 1970s, before the ‘brown banner labels’ which themselves preceded the ‘old map labels’. It is true that this series once sheltered many wonderful Taliskers, especially those from the 1950s. I also find, as I believe I may already have written, that there is something exceedingly chic about releasing malts at 39 years of age, rather than waiting a few more months in order to display ‘40’. In any case, this is the last Talisker cask from the honourable house of G&M, so there should not be any more after this. Colour: full gold. Nose: to be honest, we are once again in the upper spheres here, and one immediately feels that it would be inelegant to award a markedly different score. We also notice the finesse of G&M’s refill casks, at no point do you feel any excess wood, it remains as fresh as a daisy despite the 40 years. I mean, the 39 years. We therefore find oysters again, bergamots, rather green pepper here, along with touches of toasted sesame oil, and perhaps a peat that is just slightly less forward than in its two companions. With water: a walk along the seashore in rainy weather, kumquats in the pockets of your oilskin jacket. Mouth (neat): sublime soft pepper over a base of smoked oil, with small citrus fruits. With water: it is the sheer ‘oneness’ that impresses, along with the preserved and smoky side. Finish: not enormous, but clear, fresh, still preserved, smoky, and guarded by oysters. Only the pepper is a little less forward than in the two previous ones, while there may also be a slight medicinal and camphory side in addition. Comments: at the risk of contradicting myself, I would still add one extra point, though this is obviously anecdotal and highly personal. Yet another marvel.
SGP:555 - 92 points.

What a trio! In any case, everyone knows that Talisker ages exceptionally well, while the really young ones are often superb too. Unless when damped in crazy casks, I say it’s always pure class.

Check the index of all Talisker we've tasted