Talisker The Distillers Edition

Talisker’s The Distillers Edition finished in Amoroso casks from the Isle of Skye is another great entry-level peated scotch (relax peatheads, we will get to some heavier peated scotch as we go).  People new to the peat category tend to think that peated scotch is all the same, however, even within the land of peatiness there are a number of different flavors such as medicinal, mossy, smoky, sulphuric, briny, etc.  Talisker falls within the briny peat category and this particular release has the benefit of being finished in Amoroso sherry casks, adding another dimension to the picture.

The bottle that I own is an older release, distilled in 2003 and bottled in 2014.

ABV: 45.8%

How it smells…Peat up front with some caramel, berries and green apples notes.

How it tastes…Light smoke to start followed by salty sweetness towards the middle. The end brings out some malty chocolate and a slight bitter coffee finish.

Price...I picked up this bottle for $80.

Rating...🥃🥃🥃(🥃)

Final thoughts…Overall, a very enjoyable sip, but this is a tough one to rate.  For a peat nube, it’s a 4x 🥃 as that is how I felt about it when I first started trying peated single malts and I appreciated the Taste-to-Price ratio a bit more.  If you want your peat to taste like a Band-Aid or like you licked a campfire (I kid…), then this is not the one for you.  From a peat profile perspective, I really like the briny peat flavor that Talisker creates and I’m actively searching for the Talisker 18, but given the slight premium $ and mid-proof finish for a 10 year old, 3 x 🥃 feels right.  

What peated whisky should we sip next?