Talisker 18 going away?

[eprater]

The spirits buyer at K&L Wine Merchants in California included this text in an email he sent to his whisky aficionados mailing list today:

"Talisker 18-year-old Isle of Skye Single Malt Whisky $75.99 - Limited to quanity on hand. We can't honor bottles sold into the negative. This lovely 18 year old is almost out of existance. Get it while it lasts! Strength: 45.8% ABV Appearance: Amber. [...]"

What's this about Talisker 18 vanishing? Is it being removed from the line? And if so, is anything replacing it?

[lockejn]

I hope this just means that it is scarce *currently* as I've been trying to get hold of a bottle for months. It's hard for me to imagine that they would discontinue it completely unless some poor choices were made 18 years ago.

[jhershauer]

I asked the same question here back in February '09. K&L Wine had the same warning at that time, and only 7 or so bottles left. At the time, it was disappearing here in AZ as well, and DID disappear completely in March. One local store did get some bottles back in stock within the last few weeks, though.

I never could find any concrete evidence of it going away completely. They've continued to keep it listed on the Talisker web site, and Bevmo has kept a spot for it in their inventory list, as if they expect it to come back. It disappeared from some of the European online stores for a while, but then came back, seemingly in good supply.

The only thing I was able to find when doing a bunch of google searching back then was some speculation that they were pulling Talisker out of the North American markets in order to increase supply to Asia, combined with the need for Talisker 18 year in Johnnie Walker Gold Label. Hopefully it's just a temporary shortage, and we'll see it in higher supply in the future.

Jeff

[biglads]

I heard from a Diageo employee over the New Year period that they had stopped bottling it and there'll be no more coming.

So, if you see it, grab it.

[Bulkington]

I wonder what they'll replace it with.

[ClubSmed]

When I was at the distillery in September they did not have any and did not know when they were going to be bottling any more (if they are).

[The Third Dram]

The only fashion in which I've encountered it locally of late has been in the 3x 200ml display packaging, along with the 10YO and DE.

Curses on Diageo for 'teasing' us with such a stupendous whisky and then making it as scarce as 24-Carat gold.

[eprater]

David at K&L said he was just pasting the copy from last year, so he's not sure if Talisker 18 is gone forever or what.

It doesn't seem to have an entry in the online BevMo system any more - not even listed as "out of stock". Nor is it listed at Binny's.

[jhershauer]

eprater - Bevmo online DOES have a spot for Talisker 18 still in the AZ stores, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Thanks for the note regarding the K&L web site update, too.

ClubSmed and biglads - Thanks for the "insider" tips! That's exactly the kind of info I was hoping somebody might have when I queried about this last year. Doesn't sound particularly promising, though.

I went ahead and picked up the last bottle at the Scottsdale Sportsman's on my lunch break. The bottle has an L9 code, so it looks like it was bottled in 2009, not an old bottle the distributor found in a warehouse. However, the distributor told them that this was the last of the Talisker 18 "for a while."

Jeff

[eprater]

Ah, yes - I had just run through my usual SF Bay Area BevMo location listings for the Talisker 18. Didn't try SoCal or AZ.

K&L didn't put this most recent batch on their web site. Seems to be a Redwood City store-only availability.

Definitely would be a shame if Talisker 18 went away. Talisker 10 fell on hard times IMO in the period of '03-'08 - got caramel-y, sweet, muted. Lost much of the pepper and zing it had before. Talisker 18 brought that character back.

I haven't tried much Talisker 10 in the past couple of years, but I gather it's regaining some of its former personality.

Still, Talisker 18 is (was?) a good value even at $75/bottle. Great whisky. Talisker character all the way through.

[mikeymad]

Just checked on-line the other bay area stores around here eprater.. and none of them have the 18 listed.. DE and the 175th is out there, but no 18. I have not really been paying attention.. been working over a 1L 18 that my friend picked at a duty free shop.

Cheers,
Mikey

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Could be a simple issue of the distillery being out of stock for a while. Hopefully this is only a case of waiting for some maturing stock to reach the specified age.

My cynical side tells me it's just another ploy to raise prices. It will be a shame to see it off the shelves for a while but don't let the market swindle you into thinking it is gone for ever. Be brave and hold fast

[Jim Beam]

I'm afraid I too heard that the 18yo is definitely going away. Here in Amsterdam it is still available, though very temporarily. Is there no word whatsoever on what they will be replacing it with? Personally I'm hoping for a 15yo or 16yo. Could be sublime.

[ResIpsa539]

Actually, a store that I have ordered from in the past in New England just got this back in...maybe a fluke...maybe it means it's coming back?

[cavalier66]

Any update on this? My last bottle has just disappeared (yum) and I will stock up if it is really on the way. However, I do see it available at several online stores so maybe the concerns were misplaced?

[lockejn]

Seems to be released in the US in limited quantities in the late winter / early spring. The last bottle I got was last February. Keep an eye out over the next month or two. . .

[lockejn]

It just showed up - today - at Julio's in Massachusetts. I would expect Binny's and the rest to have it any time now.

[Secesh]

It just showed up - today - at Julio's in Massachusetts. I would expect Binny's and the rest to have it any time now.

Yes, I just received the Loch & Key newsletter. I called Julio's and they had about 5 cases with more coming in soon.

[cavalier66]

Well - am waiting for the discounts then before buying a few.... I really like all the taliskers (10, 18, distillers editions), though haven't had the wonga for a 25 year yet.