Talisker 57º North

Torfig, fast salzig. Cremig im Abgang

This is one of the more rare Talisker bottlings that has an ABV above the traditional 45.8%. I don’t think the 57% is actual cask strength because at that assumed young NAS age it probably would be 60 or above - but it is close. Even though it has a lot more alcohol percentage it for sure doesn’t show on the nose. It is very smooth. There is also some very nice bright fruits. So far the nicest fruit mix of any Talisker. Especially in combination with the mild peat. There is some pineapple as well as woody spices like nutmeg and cloves. I think what I like the most about it is that is very defined and clean and also deep and smooth. The palate is equally pure and equalized: nice peat, great fruit sweetness, vibrant citric notes and smooth nuts, vanilla and spices - all coming together in a silky sweet unison with a lively kick. Really nice. The finish stays sweet sour with a nice peat on the side. No bitterness and the burn is appropriate for the high ABV. After a few drops of water (with the ABV somewhere around 50%) the nose gets a bid more dry and the peat steps more into the foreground. But the nice fruits (now with added banana) and more vanilla become more defined as well. This Talisker has been and after this taste still is definitely one of - if not the - favorite Talisker expressions of mine.

I’m a big fan of a Talisker 10y/o. I always have a bottle on the shelf but, bizarrely, it’s one I tend to drink only when I’m in the ‘right’ mood. I always think of it as an outdoor whisky. To be enjoyed after a long walk, or at the top of a hill or next to a campfire - you get the picture - it’s a dram for relaxing and contemplating life. There is no doubt that this is a Talisker, but it’s a very different beast. Not a quiet contemplation - this is a bar fight! This is a Talisker that kicks you in the teeth... Nose: Peat, seaweed and smoke. A little citrus and toffee sweetness. Palate: Smokey and peppery. It’s quite ‘hot’ for a Talisker, but it’s creamy and rich enough to carry it. You can definitely taste it’s 57%. There a good bit of vanilla and oak hiding behind the smoke. If you persevere with it, you can also get some citrus and zesty fruit in there. Finish: Long finish. Pepper, vanilla and wood. You get the waft of smoke for ages after your finished. Overall, this is a great big weighted sock of a dram. For an almost cask strength NAS, this is an amazingly easy dram to drink (dangerous at 57%!). I could consider this a session dram, but I suspect that would be a baaaad idea. Lovely!