Talisker Select Reserve (Game of Thrones-House Greyjoy)

Aromas of smoked venison and laphroig-like iodine. Continues on the palate with the game meat coming to the forefront and notes of grilled pineapple in the background. The bright salinity carries throughout and provides great lift.

Nose - I get burnt sugar and pepper spice. Maybe poached pear as well. Taste - Sweet and salty to start, with that distinct maritime Talisker flavor. Finishes warm and spicy, almost like smoked paprika. Good stuff, reminds me of the 10, but with the volume turned down a touch. Probably my favorite of the GoT single malts. Enjoyed neat or with ice.

The aroma on the nose is a little shy initially, you have to be patient and let it open up, revealing a distinctly sweet soul of plums, peach in syrup, cotton candy and caramel. The peat is marine and vegetable, with just a drizzle of smoke to caress it. Over time, the smokiness widens slightly, while remaining muted. On the palate things change, and after the lash of Taliskerian black pepper, the peat roars (or whatever the battle verse of the octopuses is) with the personality of a barbecue rib, accompanied by abundant salt and seaweed, grilled fruit skewers and a balsamic note. The body is supported by the sweet aspect on the nose, which frames the other aromas, maintaining the coherence of the two senses. In time, leather and wood also come in the background. Rather long finish, of chili pepper, salt, wood and a pinch of ash. It appears faint on the nose and then offers a flicker on the palate, different from the Talisker to which you are used, perhaps more pleasing, but still interesting. A variation on the theme that, given the price, is to be tasted.

One of the few Game of Thrones edition whiskies i was missing was from one of my favorite distilleries, the Talisker Select Reserve. A NAS dram with the promise of nice flavor just because it is a Talisker. This one is all about the Greyjoys, a Game of Thrones family which are mostly remember for their sea life, just as Talisker. Bottled at their classic 45.8%abv, tawny. On the nose: Salty, Maritime, Oregano, lightly Peated, Sea and sand. On the palate, This is the lightest, softest talisker ever. Toffee, vanilla, burnt bread. Sooooo drinkable and easy. Not very interesting though. Aftertaste is the best part by far. Peat spice, pepper so light. Earthy peat. Great burn, pleasant. Overall this is a talisker for non talisker drinkers. It has been softened for people who are going to buy this whisky just because of the tv series and not because they know or like Talisker. It is actually a great way to enter peaty/smoky whiskies, but it definitively is the worst talisker. Even so, 84 over 100 is the score i have for it.

This is amazing stuff! Different from Storm, which is sweeter. This has the salty earthy briny and wood notes all over it. Very savory.

Smokey Oak Orange peel Carmel