Bottle: 750 mL purchased on 3/15/17 for $60. 45.8% ABV. Chill filtered and artificially colored. Talisker 10 is my so-called “go to single malt.” I have consumed more Talisker 10 by far than any other single malt. This is the only spirit that I have had two bottles open simultaneously on my bar top. I am very familiar with this bottle and how it oxidizes, and my reasoning for opening a second bottle before the first one was finished, was that I wanted that fresh peppery kick in the mouth that you only get for maybe the first 3 or 4 pours. It is always good to go back to good old Talisker 10 when another whisky disappoints. For goodness sakes, I go to a new Talisker 10 bottle when an old Talisker 10 bottle disappoints. Nose: the sea, as the distillery advertises. You got lots of sodium, iodine, seaweed. There’s also something proteinaceous in there, like salted prawns or shellfish. The smoke is moderate, and behind the saltiness. Palate: So mouthwarming! Heat. Chilies. White pepper. Smoke; mostly campfire, subtle medicinal flavors. Sweet in the background. Bourbon and sherry influence are in perfect balance. Finish is dry, and you get some ashy peat with spice. There is the intrusion of coppery, metallic flavors in the taste, but this is a minor flaw. Talisker 10 is the dram I want after a hard day’s work, after running home in the rain, after noon on Wednesday. This is my 90/100 benchmark. Whiskies better than this (Springbank 10, Lagavulin 16, and Ardbeg Uigeadail from what I’ve reviewed) I dare not make my go to (because then I’d become an alcoholic). Whiskies worse than this are just not good enough to love. In this way, Talisker 10 is perfect. I think it’s time to pick up a few more bottles.