dhsilv2
Talisker 18 Year
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed
September 2, 2019 (edited June 5, 2021)
Nose - This brings out so many spices, not the more standard wood price, but nut meg, cinnamon, pepper, and then it adds in this sweet oaked oak. It's lovely.
Taste - There's a subtly sweet body here, very middle of that road with caramel and light oak and then it brings out just a puff of smoke and then it finishes with this explosion of spices and alcohol heat. It's even a touch spicy hot on the finish, and that's not the alcohol. I have a feeling this bottle is still opening up and maturing, it's only been open a few weeks maybe a month (ok I can't remember when I bought it, but it hasn't been here that long). Already it seems to have mellowed out some of the spice kick and gotten sweeter.
I'm a bit torn, it's a bit expensive at 170 though I know talskers can be greatly different in price, had a friend get the 30 year for 300 for example. It's rather tasty and rather good, but despite having a lot of different flavors and a nice transition to the finish I still feel it is a bit one dimensional and a bit too heavy on the spice and oak.
Score 2.5. Very good whisky but lacks the quality I'd want to make this a firm recommendation. I haven't had the 10 in some time, but I don't believe I can fully support buying this based on being a huge fan of the 10 (the 30 I'll fully endorse at 300, it was awesome). I'll certainly come back to this as the bottle opens and see if it warrants a adjustment (I have a few bottles in mind for updates).
170.0
USD
per
Bottle
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Great review.
@dhsilv2 there’s some states that if I lived there, I’d not order from overseas . Ohio is one of them. They have ( like PA and Michigan I think) some strict regulations
@LeeEvolved I am a bit squeamish with ordering liquor from outside the country to ohio...land of "we wont comment if this is legal". Sadly it does make things at times more expensive.
Wow, $170 is a crazy-high price point. I was able to order this from the UK for less than $80. I think this bottle will reward your patience, though. This is one of my favorite, go to malts. Great review.
Love your reviews and your rating scale as well. The Talisker ten is one of my all time favorites. Would you think the big jump in price is worth it for the 18 for what you get when the ten is so readily available and affordable ($60 in TX)?
Not sure that would move the score. As I said I want to go back to this one and see how it changes.
This is probably my favorite whisky. How would you rate it at its UK price of $100?