So far these special releases are going down a treat. That probably shouldn’t come as a surprise, Talisker is a force to be reckoned with. But, I have read some reviews that throw a lot of flak at the yearly specials. I haven’t felt that way yet. Hopefully with a relatively old entry for 2019 I am in for a treat. N: Powerful smack of toasty malt, a hint of dry oatyness (like the inside of a porridge bag) and gentle caramel. As the dram unfolds there is a bit of ethanol prickle, but its joined by a strong black pepper that masks the high proof cleverly. Smoke is something of a whisper, a peaty antiseptic presence and a musty vegetal feel. Maybe some marzipan is trying to push its way in too. P: Ooph, that hits hard. The entry is laced with red chilli and black pepper. Get through that and you realise there is a slightly abrasive but full bodied oiliness to this palate. Quite confronting. Maritime influence emerges with plenty of salt, tannic wood and a medley of fruits: raisin, peach, desiccated orange rind (the kind you decorate cocktails with). Vanillin is here, but it is subtle and maybe accompanied by a dark cherry. F: Long, licks of astringent smoke, salt spray, touch of minerality and a long chilli presence. Beautiful cloudy with a few drops of water (I assumed this would have been chill filtered?). The nose remains forceful and maybe turns a little sour with more mustiness, like overripe fruit or wet leaf litter. The palate isn’t too much changed but the salt is amped up and an ashiness is added to the texture. The finish is all about the ashes of a bonfire and chilli. This is not a normal Talisker. The chilli catch, the salinity are present as always, but they are aggressive. Seemingly untempered by the additional years. The nose is most surprising led by the malt more prominently than I have grown used to in Talisker and evolving into something altogether unexpected with damp mulch and sour vibes. I wouldn’t call this a treat, and I am disappointed it didn’t wow me. It’s an interesting side step for Talisker and clearly charts new ground for the profile. Commendable for going outside the box. In an odd way I’d liken this to Metallica. You know and love Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning and Black Album are right there alongside it. Then you wait for something just as good and you get Hardwired to Self Destruct. It’s not bad, but it feels different. It’s something a little bit new, and thats a bit jarring; but i’m not going to change the station, and I am going to enjoy the rest of this dram. Distiller whisky taste #261 [Pictured here with an emerald biotite schist. I don’t know where this came from and don’t know how old it is or where it went to school or now works. But, the rather lovely development of a schistose fabric (the layers of the black biotite) tell me that this emerald schist was formed from metasomatic (fancy rock word for chemical transfer driven by hot fluids) overprinting of a rock that formed from the high grade metamorphism of a mud] Talisker running scores: T10: 4/5 T18: 4.75/5 Skye: 3.25/5 Port Ruighe: 2.75/3 Storm: 3.5/5 Dark Storm: 4.25/5 Surge: 4/5 57 North: 4.25/5 X Parley Wilder Seas: 4.25/5 T8 2018 Special Release: 4.5/5 T15 2019 Special Release: 3.5/5 T8 2021 Special Release: 4.5/5