Talisker 44 Year Forests of the Deep

This is going to be amazing. Ladies and Gentlemen, i have tasted an incredible single malt, from one of my favorite two distilleries in the world, Talisker. You know their slogan, "Made by the Sea", well, in this particular case,  that statement has never been more truthful. Let me tell you about the impressive and super rare Talisker 44 year old "Forest of the Deep". This is no ordinary single malt my friends. And i am saying this not only for its 4 decades of maturation, but also because the way that it has been finished. In order to make a true statement about protecting the seas, this dram was partially matured in a custom cask made from oak staves that were brought in the boat that sailed through the Cape of Hope in South Africa. There, the staves were soaked by the splash of the sea water from the movement of the ship; and then, the barrel was charred using this sea soaked wood and also lots of natural Kelp from the underwater bed of plants of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. The whole packaging states that the Kelp is actually Earth's biggest lung, with an incredible capability to absorb carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen. Pretty great stuff here. Well this single malt was bottled at 49.1%abv and has a lovely reddish color. Only 1997 bottles were ever made. On the nose, it is the best Talisker ever. Starts with a Dark spongy cake, raisins and peanuts. Actual Kelp can be nosed here (plankton or something maritime - herbal). Smells like the beach shore; bacon. Super elegant. Fancy gooseberries, ashes but also impalpable sugar. Plums, povidone, rainsforest. It is that crazy and complex. After a first sip, it gave me an aroma of figs, dates and dark chocolate. More sips and letting it breath released a mixture of ashes with chocolate and raisins. Spectacular. On the palate, the first sip took me straight to whisky heaven. Maritime but sweet; this definitively has been matured in a very old sherry cask. Salty and peppery like a well done steak in a Barbecue. The second sip was a little more straight forward, with a nice vanilla note mixed with salt. Herbal, maritime, oysters and rainforest. Absolutely gorgeous. Aftertaste is eternal. The longest salty finish i have ever experienced. Pepper, a very salty  coal cooked steak. Unforgettable; herbal, it feels like you ate a piece of wood from an old dock. In conclusion, this is plain and simple to explain, this is one of my top 3 favorite whiskies ever. It might be the No. 2 overall. Of course that means that this one has a perfect score, but this time is much more than a simple score. It is a truly memorable experience that cannot be erased from my life anymore. 100000 over 100, Slàinte Mhath my friends!