TALISKER 10 - DISTILLERY BOTTLING (2013)

Almost 3 weeks ago, I reviewed a 10yo independent bottling of Talisker from bottler Douglas Laing - a bottling I wasn't terribly impressed with, though it was bad whisky. Last weekend I was given a bottle of the present 10yo distillery bottling along with 2 Talisker tumblers (Thank you, U) and with that an opportunity presented itself to do a review (and a note comparison) of this much beloved standard bottling.

I wondered how this would be as I'm used to drinking non-coloured, non chill filtered whisky and finding atleast whiskies at 40% weakish these days, a point I made when reviewing the Highland Park 'Einar' just over a week ago - so I'll make my plea again to distillers out there please bottle at atleast 46% or 43% if you have to be stingy about it!

The Talisker 10 is bottled at a higher than normal abv (45,8%) and should provide a bit more of a kick, but is still coloured with E150 caramel colouring and chill filtered - a step giant Diageo should, but probably won't move away from, sadly...

Anyway, I'm gonna try and approch this with an open mind... and hope it still carries some of the character of the Talisker 10 from my early whisky drinking years....

Talisker Distillery, 14th October 2009 © The Malt Desk

Talisker 10yo, 45,8%, Distillery bottling (2013)

Colour is amber (E150 added)

Nose:
Sweetness, then peat, then sweet again, but as your nose gets used to the alcohol and peat, more subtle notes of old fruits, brakish water/earth notes appear, bonfire smoke and a herbal garden

Taste:
Tip of tongue salty arrival, strong tea but then turning to sweet peat and citrus, toffee, tarry and sea water/ fresh scallops. The peppery finish is there, but very subdued, I think...

Loved the nose, but I feel the palate can't quite keep up but I'm missing the really peppery edge this dram used to have - that said, its still a fine dram and so much better than other standard bottlings out there - in spite of both E150 and chill filtration. On a final note, then I'm sure this dram has changed over the years, but then again so has my palate - so I'm actually wondering what providing the biggest impact on my score - and honestly??

I think the whisky has changed the most... and now my tastebuds are just even more tuned to pick that up...

Retasted same bottle 13th Dec 2013 - now rather bland - so now 78/100!