So, at last. my nose is almost back to normal, and I get a chance to sample this new Talisker everybody has been speaking about in the last week or two. Released in February 2013, this is a new expression that came with very high hopes, as the younger brother of the ever so popular 10 year old. Continuing the NAS trend (or The Ageless Revolution , as coined by Oliver in his excellent wee post),this one also comes as NAS, but is priced higher than the 10 year old and lower than the DE edition that has been around for quite some time. Bottled at the same 45.8% (why o why) like the 10 yo. So, let’s take it for a spin, and see if it’s as good as some reviews I’ve read state (was sick at home, so could not have missed reading those). Let’s go :
Talisker Storm, NAS , 45.8% , £39
Nose: A lovely melange of young fruity notes with quite some peat and sprinkle of pepper. Sweet malty notes and a bit of mint and seaside air to add another dimension. The nose does feel young but well rounded and balanced.
Palate: A lot of smoke on the palate here , with big chunks of earthy peat. Much more than the 10 year old. After the initial peat and smoke impact more fruity tones are revealed with pear and berries and a salty edge. Another swirl in the mouth reveals a certain nuttiness that follows the fresh ground ‘signature’ pepper. We’re dealing with a Talisker, after all…
Finish : Quite long, nutty and peaty, soot and hint of fruit.
Very impressive stuff. It’s very different than the 10, while maintaining some similarities (mainly the earthy peat and pepper), but on a very different scale. It’s different, and that’s good since it’s a very good dram. NAS or no, spectacular work on behalf of Diageo (yes, it’s me Gal. I’ve said a good word about Diageo, i know. slap me). It’s going to be a very solid seller this one in shops. It shot up to the top of my “to get” list for the near future. All i can say: do yourself a favour and try this one. I am pretty sure you would think it’s worth your time and your coin. Don’t expect it to be the best dram of your life, but it’s good. damn good.
Score: 87/10
Official sample provided by Diageo
45.8% is 80 proof using the old British scale – it’s a tradition thing.
cheers!
87/10 – that is a high score!
indeed, it’s a high score, since it’s a very good whisky, and value for money.