Talisker 10/DE/18 Tonight

[denec]

So far I have owned and drank in the past Highland Park 12/18, Glenlivet nadurra, Balvenie Double Wood, and now could not decided with Talisker to decide so a store had a minature 3 set 200 ml of Talisker 10/DE/18 for $66

I was going to just go for the Talisker 18 y/o for $67, but figured why not try all 3 tonight.


So i opened each one and tried them side by side.

Well first off they all blew me away. I will say this every single one including the 10 year is the best thing I have tried so far to date and beats everything I have tasted. I know I have also tried other single malts at friends house including a 21 year but I do not know the name offhand I think it was a Glenlivet


In order of preference 18/10/DE The Distiller Edition is a bit too sweet for me i guess it is the sherry but is still very good. The 10 for being a 10 year old is still great, but the 18...well let me just say the 18 is just perfect in every way!!

[Ganga]

While I would defer to the HP 18 over two of the Taliskers, the 18 is marvelous. Glad you like 'em. If you can find one you should try the 175th from Talisker. I find it to be much better balanced than the DE.

[denec]

I have not seen the 175th in the stores

Do you know how much that ones goes for aroundish?

[pkt77242]

[quote="denec"]I have not seen the 175th in the stores

Do you know how much that ones goes for aroundish?[/quote

It goes for about $100 in AZ if you can find it but Binnys in Chicago has it for $90.

I have really enjoyed all the Taliskers that I have had, it is probably my #2 distillery after lagavulin.

Sean

[denec]

I have not tried any lagavulin

Do they taste similar or different?

what would you recommend I try which year?

[pkt77242]

I have not tried any lagavulin

Do they taste similar or different?

what would you recommend I try which year?

The 16yo is the standard expression. More peat, smoke and sherry than the Talisker 10 or 18 and less pepper. there is also a distillers edition that is very sweet but has some smoke and peat (somewhat similar to the Talisker DE but a little more smoke. I am not the best at tasting notes but you can find plenty of them on the forum and in whiskymags tasting area.

Sean

[The Third Dram]

And don't neglect, provided it's available in your locality, the 12 Year Old Lagavulin Cask Strength - a marvellous combination of forcefulness and delicacy that almost makes me forget how much I miss the long departed standard strength 12 Year Old marketed back in the 1980s.

I'm also an avid admirer of Talisker 18 Year Old.

[pkt77242]

And don't neglect, provided it's available in your locality, the 12 Year Old Lagavulin Cask Strength - a marvellous combination of forcefulness and delicacy that almost makes me forget how much I miss the long departed standard strength 12 Year Old marketed back in the 1980s.

I'm also an avid admirer of Talisker 18 Year Old.

The 12yo is great but a whole different beast and a large jump in price (at least in the US, my bottle cost me $170). just as good as the other two, but less sweet and more peat and smoke.


Sean

[denec]

i already finished the 200ml 18 year

and now working on the DE 200ml

halfway through it. cant believe how fast i am going through it

[Ganga]

Denec, we can. Stuff is better than drinking water on a hot summer afternoon.

175th can range from under $60 to around $100 depending on where you find it. Two places to check are Wine & Liquor Depot in Van Nuys and Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa. Usually have a pretty good deal if they have stocks available.

[denec]

Well i guess i should tell you I live in NYC if that helps

[LagaDrinker]

Denec, you should save some for the live tasting on January 10th

[The Third Dram]

The 12yo is great but a whole different beast and a large jump in price (at least in the US, my bottle cost me $170). Just as good as the other two, but less sweet and more peat and smoke.

And to think that I was paying $75CDN for it just a year or so ago. Talk about inflation, Sean!

Doug

[Knolly]

Definitely pick up the Lagavulin 16yo. I think that it is the whisky that converted many of us over to single malts and is easily the equal of the Talisker 18, but much more peaty and smoky and as others have said, less pepper.

I agree with your assessment of the Talisker range as well: the 18 is simply fantastic and an amazing whisky.

Cheers and enjoy your new discoveries!

[Giovinetti]

I would second a stab at the Lagavulin 16. If you want to stick with Talisker try to get your hands on a couple of the 20yo from a few years back. The American release (59.7, 2002) was the best Talisker I ever had until I was able to get a bottle of the other 20 of the same year (62%). The 62% remains one of the best whiskies I have ever tasted. I don't know what your budget is, but if you like Talisker these particular bottles might be put on the wishlist.

[triguy42]

I would second a stab at the Lagavulin 16. If you want to stick with Talisker try to get your hands on a couple of the 20yo from a few years back.

I would definitely agree with the above. Lagavulin 16yr was my introduction to Islay and at the time it was only $49 at BJ's Wholesale Club. I am still kicking myself for not buying an extra bottle or two! I have all the recent versions of the Talisker 20yr and all of them are excellent. More powerful in some ways than the 10yr (due to the high alc content) but very refined. IIRC Jim Murray said of one of the 20yr editions "miss this and your life will be incomplete." I'd tend to agree with him.

Regarding the Talisker DE, I have a couple different years and right now I can't remember which one I thought was better. It's...different. But good! I bought and then stupidly opened bottle #1 of the 1992 edition in a moment of weakness.

[talisker10]

I've had the 175th Anniversary and the 10 (obviously). I loved the 175th..sweet, but very balanced and a hint of the pepper. However I like the 10 better as I really like the additional pepper. Here in Houston (at Spec's) the 18 is only about $6 more a bottle than the 10, so whenever I can afford a new bottle I will get the 18 and try that for the first time.

[scotchdrinker]

Well i guess i should tell you I live in NYC if that helps

Denec,

In New York City there are a bunch of places you can go:
New York Wine Exchange
Park Avenue Liquor
Garnet Wines
Crush Wine & Spirits
Astor Wines
67 Wine & Spirits
Ehrlichs Wines & Spirits
Acker Merrall
Kenwin Liquor Store

if you need any more info let me know. these stores are all in Manhattan

[Reggaeblues]

Anyone tried the Talisker 57 degrees, bottled at 57 degrees?

got one on the go as I write. Available in duty free. which is where my "best man" bought this for me as an xmas present!

goes down very easily for such high ABV. good fun...All that you would expect of Talisker, though it does feel young to me.

N: Elements that I love in a nose! Have found this same nose before, where I find an oakiness and a sweetness combined. "Sweet Peat", but this is sweeter! Then, on second nosing it changes! the peat becomes more rugged, earthy, plasticiny...and then that "spongecake by the sea" combo returns!

T: Rich, sweet, reminiscent of the 10 AND the DE, red fruits, but with less "wineyness" than the DE. then a bit of pepper, flattening out with a salty, mineral, seabreeze sweetness!

F: All the elements on the palate just seem to fade gently, in concert. late return of peat.

Really nice. Really fun.

But the 18 remains the most "serious" expression. Subtle, special, to be meditated upon, and to my mind, much as I was weaned on lagavulin 16, which remains a favourite, I believe the T18 is more complex and subtle.

3 degrees extra proof doesn't hurt either...

Talisker rules!

[mkhan]

Talisker, blah, blah, blah, tried the 10 recently - alcoholic cod liver oil

[borgom]

Sacrilege!

[mkhan]

just a cheeky remark.

what are the difference in aroma and tasting notes between the 10 and the 18?

The aroma for the 10 definitely has a distinct smell of smoked fish, which for me is a little off putting, but the taste however is complex and sweet and no fish at all and nice and oily which i love.

[Willie JJ]

Anyone tried the Talisker 57 degrees, bottled at 57 degrees?

got one on the go as I write. Available in duty free. which is where my "best man" bought this for me as an xmas present!

It's available in mainland shops as well now Tim so if you like it you can restock without trouble.

Talisker rules!

Agreed

[Gilles Deleuze]

The price of the new 12 depends on the year it was bottled. I got one at Whisky Exchange for under £46 in the summer - the current year (2008).
But the 2007 would cost me £52 now, the 2003 £87 and the 2002 £112.

The prices for any version of the 12 are exorbitant in the US. I got the 2007 edition last summer at TWE for under GBP 40, plus shipping.

[Reggaeblues]

Talisker, blah, blah, blah, tried the 10 recently - alcoholic cod liver oil

reminds me of a wonderful Macallan tasting at turnberry some years back.

there was this wonderful single cask i fell in love with, and was invited to read my notes to everyone present. Having waxed lyrical in my well drammed state about " classic macallan" and "fudge on the nose" "floral notes when water added"and "dried fruits, chocolate, resins and christmas pudding on fire etc." this lady pipes up in a scottish accent:

" Funny...it tasted like petrol to me!"

[scotchdrinker]

Talisker, blah, blah, blah, tried the 10 recently - alcoholic cod liver oil

reminds me of a wonderful Macallan tasting at turnberry some years back.

there was this wonderful single cask i fell in love with, and was invited to read my notes to everyone present. Having waxed lyrical in my well drammed state about " classic macallan" and "fudge on the nose" "floral notes when water added"and "dried fruits, chocolate, resins and christmas pudding on fire etc." this lady pipes up in a scottish accent:

" Funny...it tasted like petrol to me!"

It is quite interesting how you had a similar experience with McCallan as mkhan had with the Talisker. I will say I have to agree with mkhan I tried the Talisker 10 a few weeks ago and I was definitely not a fan. But, I am a big fan of the Macallan 12yo. I find it interesting though how most people relaly like the Talisker and only a few people don't and everyone is replying like they just murdered someone in the middle of yankee stadium. But I more find it interesting how the majority of people I have talked to like Talisker.

[jazz lover]

Talisker 18

[scotchdrinker]

Talisker 18

Is it that much better than the 10, cuz I didn't like the 10 at all. Felt like I was drinking a meal.

[jazz lover]

Breakfast is the most important drink of the day.

[Ganga]

JL, I resemble that remark.

I had the Tali 57 mid January. I found it quite enjoyable although a little coarser than the DE, 17th and 18. It was softer than the 10. I might like it more if I had the opportunity to sit for a year with a bottle of it and see how it evolves over a period of time.