Talisker 12, for France

[Aidan]

Has anyone tried this one - http://www.whisky.fr/produit-15243-tali ... 12-yo.html

[TheTross]

Is that the one bottled in 2007? If so, then yes I have tried it - here are my notes:

Nose: Ground white pepper, Tabasco and maritime notes. Quite creamy. Lightly peated. Fresh basil leaves? Light oak. Hint of raisins and chocolate-coated peanuts. Soft sherry tones. Fairly sweet. Something slightly medicinal. Very, very light notes of lemon meringue.

Palate: Thin and weak. Very mild sherry and peat. Peppery again, alongside some salt. Watery lemon juice. Slightly briny.

Finish: Quite long and peppery, with notes of smoke, mild Tabasco and salt. A little lemon juice and perhaps a faint touch of peat towards the end.


You could look at this as a gentle introduction to Talisker; not as powerful as the 10, not as complex as the 18. Quite thin and watery throughout. If it's raw power you're after, go with the 10; for complexity, the 18. It does share a few family traits, but it's a long-distant relative rather than a sibling.

[Aidan]

I'd say that's it, Tross. It doesn't sound as good as I had hoped.

[TheTross]

Don't get me wrong; it's not bad whisky.

That said, for me it's also nothing particularly special, falling short of the 18 and, perhaps more tellingly, the 10. It's almost as if it's been dumbed down and seems a little weary in comparison to the OBs mentioned.

[peat-chaser]

Well, it´s not a Talisker for France, but for the friend of the classic malts (FOCM), it´s been bottled in 2007, comes from sherrycasks and is limited to 21500 bottles, some have been sold shortly after bottling and a lot them come to european retailers right now. Price is about 50 euro.

I got a bottle, but didn´t open it yet.

[Single Malt Kommunist]

Yes, the 12 keeps turning up in the FOCM marketing letters since 2 years now.

Luckily, a kind forum member (like Tross) mentioned that it was at best a collectors item for Talisker freaks, and at worst an average malt (albeit for €50).

[peat-chaser]

I cracked it open now, well, it´s nice and smooth and fruity, even a bit sweet, peat and pepper are lacking, it´s not exactly what you´d expect opening a talisker.
Not great, not bad, I´ll see how it will develope with time ....