Talisker Port Ruighe

Island or Islay? That’s my current conflict. Where are my personal whisky favourites concentrated? I’m pretty sure that between Arran, Highland Park, and Talisker the podium is fully stacked. I think by the end of a reasonable run on Talisker I have lined up I’ll have my answer. For now. I have six Taliskers under my belt, and eight in this series to savour. Opening tonight with Port Ruighe. Named after the old Isle of Skye trading port, which was coincidently used to trade… port. this liquid was Talisker's second no age statement release for 2013, and it has stuck around. A positive sign perhaps. Port Ruighe combines whisky matured in European and American oak refill casks and heavily charred oak casks; blended, and finally transferred into ex-port casks for finishing. N: Quite aggressive. A powerful wave of woody smoke, a little iodine and band aids, waxiness and the important Talisker briny sea spray. The port cask is weak to me, there is a very gentle chocolate note, a vague suggestion of citrus peel and an over ripe plum. Peppery wood spice picks up eventually. This nose is big, loud and perhaps a little jumbled. Lots to work through in here. As this has opened up further, jammy figgy elements became apparent. P: Oily and warningly tannic mouthfeel. A beautiful smoke and black pepper entry gives way to a lovely salty mineralogy. This is Talisker, no questions. The left turn comes through too. Not the gentle sweetness of T10 but rather a more viscous dark sticky red fruit sweetness, some bright orange oil spritzes and a creamy milk chocolate. F: Medium-long. Fresh red chilli spice, a little coffee bitterness, a faint red fruit syrupy sweetness and a long goodbye from a beach bonfire. I am conflicted. I actually tried this a few years ago in a liquor store, but took no notes. My impression then is little changed now. Whilst the nose promises a smorgasbord, it doesn’t fully deliver. What is there, as individual elements are lovely. But, there is something that doesn’t quite mesh between the core Talisker elements that are just so good… and the juxtaposed sticky-sweetness of the Port Cask influence. There is also something detractive about the wood here, it adds a muting astringency, not a delicate spice lift. Then, there is the price. The price doesn’t affect the merits of the whisky, but the price point for me is AUD$158.99 or $115 online when on sale. T10 is around AUD$98. Thats an easy call to make. Normally I am a sucker for a Port cask, but this feels rushed, incautious and unbalanced. My lowest Talisker rating yet. I am not wavering from my opening paragraph though! Distiller whisky taste #256 [Pictured here with a sapphire-garnet-biotite gneiss from Zazafosty Quarry, Madagascar. A high temperature metamorphic rock formed from originally muddy sediments at the high temperature extremes of metamorphism around 494 million years ago] Talisker running scores: T10: 4/5 T18: 4.75/5 T8 2021 Special Release: 4.5/5 Skye: 3.25/5 Port Ruighe: 2.75/5 57 North: 4.25/5 X Parley Wilder Seas: 4.25/5