Talisker 18YO OB

[bamber]

My bottle of this arrived yesterday and I compared it with the 10YO.

Nose: Similar to the 10 but fruitier, richer, maltier and more restrained (wrt pepper) - blood oranges, grapefruit some currants, sea air, pepper / oak and iodine.

Taste: Suprisingly more intense than the 10YO, good transference of nose to palate, balanced attack of peppery / giner spice with sweet maltiness and fruit.

Finish: Peppery long and satisfying.

Comments: My first few sips left me slightly dissapointed as it seemed a little restrained, but like a good curry, the intensity of this whisky seems to build up as you drink more (I had had some 17YO bourbon previously that evening, which may have dulled my palate). I really like this whisky a lot and would recommend it.

[Frodo]

Interesting:

I had a taste only at a whisky show, and I got the restrained part. Just reinforces to me that I need 200ml to properly form an opinion.

[bamber]

Yeh - I remebered your post when I tasted it. Personally (maybe its just me) but I need a good few tastings to tell if I like a whisky. A large dram is never enough !

[hpulley]

Honestly, Frodo, to really know a malt takes 300-350mL in my opinion. That way you have enough tastes to discount what you've eaten that day, moods, etc. By halfway through a proper bottle you know for sure if you should get a backup!

Harry

[bamber]

I had a couple more glasses of this last night and was even more impressed. Talisker 10YO was my favourite whisky for a while. This one is defintely a contender.

[Frodo]

I don't know Harry:

For me, by the time 200ml has gone by (assuming I haven't eaten anything to get in the way) I can usually tell if I like something. Usually, it's 2x 100ml tastings. I've never formed an opinion at 200ml that has been reversed at 350ml. However, everyone has their own way I think .

Frodo

[hpulley]

I wouldn't do two 100mL tastings. For me 1 to 1.5 oz (28 to 42mL) is enough at one time for a tasting so when I say 300mL is required for a really good idea I mean about ten samplings. This is also enough time to get over the initial 'infatuation' one can get with a new bottle. By the time its half gone I really know if I want to buy more of it or not (to tie into my rating scheme from that other thread). Some which I say are heaven in a glass after one tasting turn out to be not quite so great after further reflection and some which I initially say are just OK turn out to be much better.

Harry

[Frodo]

Yea I hear where you're coming from. Sometimes I need to taste a whole bunch of samplings to form an opinion (it was like this with Glendronach). Sometimes I form an opinion only to change it after a couple of (smaller) samples, like with Caol Ila.

The first couple of times though, I'll lean back with about 90ml (3oz) and turn on some nice music (Ravel, Debussy), shut the world out, and just concentrate on the nose and the taste. Nothing but me and the whisky in the whole world. When I do it this way, my taste buds can get used to the subtleties of the dram, and often, my opinion doesn't change. Sometimes after the first 1.5oz, my opinion does change and I'm thankful I tried two consecutive 1.5oz drinks.

Frodo

[andrewfenton]

Had some of this at a tasting tonight. Really interesting stuff - it still retains that characteristic pepperiness that they seem to want to phase out of the OB 10 and the independant 8ish year olds.

Nose: hint of sherry at first, then as it reacts with the air (and with a splash of water) you get pears/apricots etc.

Palate: Peppery, peaty weight without the direct peat taste, slightly fruity, restrained malt. Add water and it becomes like a Clynelish (or Longmorn with added salt), very fruity indeed. All very nicely balanced - it's tasty as well as interesting.

Finish: Long, salty. Very filling - I had it on an empty stomach and didn't fill hungry afterwards


As above, it changes the more water you add. From being the classic Talisker pepper-giant, as you add water it morphs into a (balanced) fruity malt. However, it never really loses the salt regardless of what you do to it, so the trick is getting the exact right amount of water (a very small dash) to release the fruit without killing the pepper and weightiness of it.

Overall, an excellent whisky, very interesting to drink and observe the varied elements developing, as well as being damn tasty. Not quite sure it's worth the cost though - for the coastal salt hit I'd probably go for the 14yr Clynelish at 2/3 the price.

#########one hour later#########

OK, we've been doing some mixing experiments. Talisker 10 + Clynelish 14 comes close to Talisker 18. Add a sherry-peppery whisky like Aberlour a'Bunadh and you've got almost all the aspects covered

[Hendriks]

Very intressting.
Looking forward to finding the new Talisker in the Shops in Holland soon.
It's a Talisker i 'd love to taste and something new from something old is alway intressting.

Dennis