LeeEvolved
Talisker Neist Point
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed
July 17, 2018 (edited February 18, 2020)
I found this newest Talisker NAS whisky about 6 months ago online out of the UK and decided I’d give it a try. Neist Point is named for the westernmost point on the Isle of Skye, near the Talisker distillery. This bottle was rather expensive for a NAS, at $114, but it looked interesting enough to sucker me in. Boy, was I glad I took the bait...
It’s a nice, polished copper in the Glencairn and makes lots of oily legs when you give it a whirl. A thick, oily slick hangs on to the walls of the glass for quite some time after the liquid settles.
The nose is that salty, smoke you know and expect from every Talisker you’ve had in the past. There’s fresh and vibrant oak notes that yield quickly to sweet sherry and juicy, dark fruits. The oakiness appears throughout and smells incredibly deep for a NAS whisky.
The palate is smoke and sea salt up front, but sherry, raisins and rich plums really mingle well here. There’s a light, oak backbone but no trace of heat or bitterness at all. It’s mouthwatering and juicy. There has got to be some seriously well-aged, sherry-casked Talisker mixed in here- there’s no denying it. Loads of depth.
The finish is medium and oaky. It steadily warms as it fades away and leaves what feels like black raspberry skins on your tongue that just make the mouth water even more. As it dries there’s a hint of youthful spirit harshness, but it in no way diminishes the overall experience.
This is one of the better NAS whiskies I think I’ve had to this point. It’s not as deep and complex as the Ardbeg twins, Uigeadail or Corryvrecken, nor is it in the same league as the Laphroaig Lore- but it can hang with those guys on a tasting flight, should you choose to do one. 4.25-4.5 stars. I looked at buying another bottle and prices have risen to $125-130/bottle now. That’s a tough call when you can get the Ardbegs for $80-85 and the Lore for $95, but If you’re a diehard Talisker fan- it’s a no brainer. Cheers.
125.0
USD
per
Bottle
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Following your recommendation on my taste of the Port Ruighe I ordered a sample of this one. I'm looking forward to tasting it and will leave a review for it as well (because the regular 10y Talisker is one of my favourite peated whiskies as well). It has become quite cheap here in Europe since your review ... it goes for 70 € a bottle.
I didn't need anymore whisky but all of you f#*kers talked me into this one. I blame you all! ;) lol. Got it from finedrams at $105 shipped! It really gets slagged in reviews but it seems they all want the 10 year taste profile in a cask strength for not that much. I guess it was originally priced at like $170 in travel retail which seems crazy.
@Generously_Paul I think they took the Macallan Rare cask black off TRE and increased the price a bit more
@consamp as someone who buys his fair share of TREs, I can say that it’s usually a good idea to stay away from anything that is 40%, which most are. HP and Laphroaig may be the exceptions to that rule. Anything that looks like an incredible deal is usually not worth drinking. If you happen across a bottle of Macallan Rare Cask Black...just check the reviews here and decide for yourself if it’s worth the price
@consamp - some of my favorites are Laphroaig Lore, Neist Point, most of the Ardbeg Feis Ile releases, but just about all of the crazy, Gaelic-named Bunnahabhain stuff is really good (and relatively cheap): Stiuireadair, An Cladach, Moine. All very solid and around $50. Tomatin Cu Bocan and it’s variants are also solid and reasonably priced. Happy Hunting.
@LeeEvolved I'll be traveling over the holidays and am for the first time researching travel exclusives. Anything I should keep my eye out for?
@Rick_M Just be sure to include Skye in your bucket list as well! ;-)
@AntonioSchmid - you’re making me jealous and I just got back from St. Andrews. Way too many fellow Americans for my liking.
You're totally right about this one. It is a no brainer for Talisker fans as myself. I paid even more for it, £110,00 at the distillery but have zero regrets about it. Had the bonus of going straight to the "real" Neist Point after buying the bottle and it is the most beautiful and amazing place on earth! :-)
@LeeEvolved I see it’s currently on sale at finedrams.com for only $92. Act fast though, they only have 1 bottle left in stock!
@LeeEvolved - There’s nowhere on earth these bottles can hide from you. :)