Talisker 18 Year

Nose - This brings out so many spices, not the more standard wood price, but nut meg, cinnamon, pepper, and then it adds in this sweet oaked oak. It's lovely. Taste - There's a subtly sweet body here, very middle of that road with caramel and light oak and then it brings out just a puff of smoke and then it finishes with this explosion of spices and alcohol heat. It's even a touch spicy hot on the finish, and that's not the alcohol. I have a feeling this bottle is still opening up and maturing, it's only been open a few weeks maybe a month (ok I can't remember when I bought it, but it hasn't been here that long). Already it seems to have mellowed out some of the spice kick and gotten sweeter. I'm a bit torn, it's a bit expensive at 170 though I know talskers can be greatly different in price, had a friend get the 30 year for 300 for example. It's rather tasty and rather good, but despite having a lot of different flavors and a nice transition to the finish I still feel it is a bit one dimensional and a bit too heavy on the spice and oak. Score 2.5. Very good whisky but lacks the quality I'd want to make this a firm recommendation. I haven't had the 10 in some time, but I don't believe I can fully support buying this based on being a huge fan of the 10 (the 30 I'll fully endorse at 300, it was awesome). I'll certainly come back to this as the bottle opens and see if it warrants a adjustment (I have a few bottles in mind for updates).