Nose - Sweet briny smoke, salt & pepper on smoked kelp, dried persimmons, spicy oak
Taste - Salty drying sweet charcoal smoke, white pepper tingle, salty dried persimmon sweet, light oaky bitterness, hint of lemon zest, lightly medicinal/metallic
Finish - Long lingering smoky salt, light medicinal/metallic sweet, light salty white pepper tingle/heat
Score - 75/100
Final Thoughts - I guess I'm not really a fan of this older expression. It sort of had the "depth" & "age" vibe, but it was all sorts of flavors that were a bit off-putting to me. The smoke was subtle enough, but still quite present even after 25 years in oak. The sweetness was a bit tough to pinpoint, but it reminded me of dried persimmons, which I'm not a huge fan of. There was this medicinal/metallic vibe that I sometimes get from dried fruits that are a bit old. This was interesting as I think I seem to enjoy younger, finished Taliskers better.
Would I drink it if offered? - Yes
Would I specifically order it? - No
Would I buy a bottle? - No