OK, everyone has their desert island scotch. It might not be your favorite dram of all time, and there are other whiskies you'd pick when the mood strikes you. But if you can have only one, you need a versatile drink that ticks off all the boxes and doesn't stray too far in any one direction. That might be Talisker 10 for me. It's not the greatest scotch or whiskey I've ever had, but it's one I could drink every day. The initial curl of smoke that wafts out of this glass is near-perfect. It's not a sooty Islay peat smoke, it's more of a resinous and sappy woodsmoke -- a camping smoke, not a coal smoke. The other scents lean away from the sweet side of the spectrum, with significant minerality and seaspray. It's the perfect bridge between Islay and Highland scotches. The palate is complex, sweeter than the nose, and features mild sherried nuts and dates, floral rosewood, pepper (the Talisker signature), and a smoke and honeyed malt core. Talisker 10 has a medium body with a near-ideal texture for a daily sipper. Its spectacular finish has a strong pepper kick, a light lingering smoke, cocoa-powder covered cherries, and orange emerging at the end. $70 for a bottle and worth every cent.