Jan-Case
Talisker Neist Point
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed
October 12, 2020 (edited December 20, 2020)
This is the 2nd time I give this Talisker expression another go on the search for a Talisker bottle to add to my collection.
The first aroma on the nose is sweet syrup in a old rough dark wooden bowl. It doesn’t feel fruity or sherry influenced at all but that is a good thing. Then slowly there is some appearing florals and then in the back some cooked fruits but not overly sweet. The backbone is a nice fresh peat.
The palate arrives with a wild peat - not smokey but somehow spiced up - like when you burn spices in a pan. Then the palate gets increasingly sweet bid by bid until you finally taste a nice melange of peated wood, bitter oranges and sweet wine gummies.
The finish has a very unique and interesting peat and a taste of dark bread and dried sour orchard fruits.
After that the nose gets brighter, has some qualities of white wine and fresh banana. And then it become nicely briny. The palate now feels more acidic along the nice sweetness. The peat becomes a little more chemical but definitely not in a bad way.
Some added water drops don’t really change much on the nose except maybe some grains. The palate also doesn’t really gain anything here as does the finish.
All in all a interesting, intense and rough whisky that will spark interest when enjoyed over a few drams for sure. It is very unique.
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@Soba45 I actually tried that. At first, I sent my excel sheet to a US house, highlighting the ones I wanted to sell. About 400 out of 700. They were interested in the ones I didn’t want to sell ( Yamazaki sherry cask, old Macallans , High west 21 rye , etc). So then I sent 4 to a UK house ( Yamazaki essence of suntory , St George baller , Michter 10 rye, one other ). The way it works is that they have to send you a packaging slip since it’s illegal in the US to send on your own. Combined with import duties, it turned out about £300 in shipping. I made a whole £50 , after fees, in profit. Wasn’t worth it
@LeeEvolved I just got a nz general auction house who sold everything
@LeeEvolved I'd be worth shipping over to UK in bulk to put up for auction I reckon. Shipping costs would be a small part of the return you got. There must be some place in the US you can sell them to. I found this one based on a quick search https://www.tkwine.com/sell-your-wine/
Which goes back to my belief that, if you’re in the US, it makes no sense to keep bottles for “investment”. Totally illiquid.
@Soba45 - worst thing for me is that I’ve spent a small fortune chasing some high end bottles and now have no desire to really drink them and no profitable way to move them.
@Soba45 good way to look at it.
@PBMichiganWolverine It feels like a chapter is sloowly coming to an end a bit like when I finished school or uni... seeing all the fresh faces come in as I was about to head out the door and then thinking back several years earlier when i was in their shoes and remembering the earlier days :-)
@PBMichiganWolverine Was a good run but my body and brain aren't sad to see the back of my prolific whiskey sampling :-). Gin sampling is a bit more measured pace and that's not going to run much longer either I think. its a lot easier now most friends and family don't drink much if at all these days...
@Soba45 I’m in that same camp as you and @LeeEvolved nowadays
@Jan-Case Ah i read a number of reviews and most seemed positive..not quite the same league as the 2018 though. last years 15 special release didn't fare as well though
@LeeEvolved Yeah i find I'm the same... with alcohol in general these days. I think a number of us old timers (in terms of how long we've been on the site :-)) are now living more vicariously through others tasting experiences...more youthful less jaded palates...i think i just ran out of things to interest me in the end...similar to craft beer and wine...
Thanks for that info @PBMichiganWolverine. I'll keep an eye open :)
@LeeEvolved If it's a fried palate, I'm sorry to hear that :( If you just don't like whisky as much these days... well, maybe we should all join you (but, also, whisky is tasty and fun)
@ContemplativeFox I’ve also heard this year’s Talisker 8 rum finish is also very good
@LeeEvolved here I Europe you get the Neist Point regularly in online store all over the place and it even is available from some local shops. Again might be regionally limited.
@Jan-Case - so, Talisker has added Neist Point to their core lineup? I haven’t bought a bottle of scotch in quite awhile and wasn’t aware of this. I still have 2 bottles of the initial release and would love to see if there’s a serious change between batches. @ContemplativeFox - this one hit all the right spots when I tried it the first time, I’d like to open another bottle soon and see if it still holds up for me. Sadly, most things I’ve opened over the last 8+ months haven’t delivered the same punch I was used to- either my palate is truly fried or I’ve just lost the love affair I once had with whisky.
PS thanks @LeeEvolved for providing the rec (even though it wasn't to me). A solid rec has huge value!
I pretty much have to agree with @jonwilkinson7309 on quality Taliskers and then admit that I have less experience with this distillery :P I definitely support the DE at a good price. I recently got it for $60 plus shipping and it has been so worth it! This 10 is also very good, but has gotten more expensive :( I have a bottle of the 18 on my shelf and am very much looking forward to it, though IIRC @Soba45 has warned about batch issues with it. I've also heard (surprisingly) good things about the GoT release.
Ah, I guess we have our answer on TRE @WhiskeyLonghorn
And for everything more detailed when it comes to Talisker you have to consult @Jose-Massu-Espinel ... I think with his knowledge and repertoire about Talisker he might have been breast fed with this whisky as an infant.
@Soba45 I actually waited a long time for this years release of the Diageo special 8y rum cask finish. But the reviews aren’t good and nothing remotely close to the 8y from 2 years ago. That’s why I am actively looking for a better alternative. The 2018 one is way too expensive here now and so is the 15y from last year. I have both of them on my radar but I am not sure if it’s worth the 150+ €. @jonwilkinson7309 no Talisker at the moment. I had the regular 10y previously and liked it - but I would like to get my hands on something more exclusive and a little more interesting and refined. @ContemplativeFox It was a recommendation from @LeeEvolved a year ago after my first taste of the Port Ruighe. And it is a lot better and for me on the same level as the 10y - just smoother. It used to be a travel exclusive but it did well so they added it to their retail core range. Strange the US and the Pacific area seem to not have access to it. Today I am following up with the Dark Storm, the 57 degrees north and the 18y. I had all of them before but it has been some months and a side-by-side tasting always makes it easier to decide.
Go for the latest Talisker 8 year special release is my pick :-)
I haven't tried this, but it does sound interesting. So what do you have in your Talisker collection currently? I love the 10 , the 18 and the Distiller's Edition, but haven't found another that's a must have.
@ContemplativeFox I’m pretty sure this is either TRE or a Europe only release.
Great notes. It sounds like quite and interesting whisky. I'd never even heard of it until your tasting!