ralfy review 1055 - Talisker Skye @45.8%vol:

[@mendipfox1650]

Talisker Skye. A bottle of Meh. However it tastes great in a hipflask watching Rugby down the Recreation ground on a cold winters afternoon 😅

[@RyanBellMusic]

Malt mark is on point. For the money, it's a fair purchase. It's just a softer, less interesting expression. Not for me, but I get it. That was my experience with it too. I just bought a bottle of Talisker 18 (for the OLD price, mind you...new bottling too), and I've been pleased with my purchase of it as well. Still love Talisker 10 as well, even despite the chill-filtering and E150. It's one of the only exceptions I make for those two things, just because I like the taste.

[@b1gsteve251]

Never change, Ralfy. Keep bringing us the bitter truth! Skål 🥃

[@dram_kruzhok]

1. We are in Whisky Loch 2.0, for the past several years. It will not be televised or admitted :) But it is being admitted in some online publications. This is not just Scotch, it's American whiskey, Japanese whisky, Canadian, etc. Global. They won't lower prices on the higher value bottlings, that would dilute reputation. So instead they'll find backdoor channels to unload the accumulated inventory at discount, such as "special releases" and "limited editions". 2. I don't know if the news of Diageo's plans to build up more capacity at Talisker is good or bad news. It may never happen. But it's concerning to me. A beloved malt might become another commoditized mainstream brand like Macallan and Glendronach. Not that Talisker isn't already almost there. 3. I am seeing Talisker Storm for $35 in the US, about half of what it typically costs nowadays.

[@robfut9954]

I wish we were in for another Whisky Loch… prices need to come down. A good 18 year old bottle has DOUBLED in 4 years here.

[@dram_kruzhok]

@robfut9954 patience, malt mate. It's coming. Look for indirect signs. Like the increased ages of Glenmorangie core range. New record high age releases. They will be very reluctant to just slash prices. It dilutes the reputation and the brands. So they might put older casks into standard aged bottlings.

[@robfut9954]

@ hopefully, it’s been a rough ride lately here where I am. I wouldn’t mind being able to pick up an 18 year old malt for $79 again

[@geerakkers2060]

The fact that this Talisker is bottled at 45,8% abv is the old 80 % English proof. 80 x 4 = 320 : 7= 45,714 which they made 45,8%. You can also count 45,8 x 7= 320,6 ÷4 = 80,15% proof.

[@monotts5218]

Ralphy, firstly many thanks for taking the time to give folks like me the benefit of your years of knowledge & experience. I've opened a bottle of 10 yr Talisker. It's been a few years since I had my last Talisker and since then my taste has softened. If I wanted to blend/soften this Malt over a period of time can you recommend a suitable "added" whisky?

[@Soldano999]

I bought one a few weeks ago out of curiosity (and because i had a coupon :) I was unimpressed and wasn't a fan of the metallic aftertaste. After some tests i ended up blending it with an 18y/o islay whisky from lidl which had a distinctive catpiss aftertaste. Sometimes two wrongs can make a right i got rid of both aftertastes and it actually turned into a very nice blend.

[@essjayaitch]

I'm on my second bottle of Skye. I quite like it but I wouldn't pay the full price! But then again I only buy whisky when it is on offer! I find the Skye a nice alternative to when I don't want my head blown off by Laphroaig. I always thought the malt choice of the uninformed was Glenfiddich, but judging by how much that goes for these days, I think they may have been scared off!

[@rfpho1456]

Funny, I had a bottle of Skye and a bottle of 10yr old given to me last Christmas. I’d have said the Skye was more spirit forward and definitely much younger, but it wasn’t as pacified as the 10, which was too smooth for a Talisker

[@malcolmjcullen]

I got a bottle of this as a gift from a girl in the office last week (last year's delayed Christmas present). I'd long stopped expecting or waiting for a gift, so I was surprised when this landed on my desk on Friday morning. When I heard you share the discounted cost, it made a lot more sense! No what I'd buy for myself, but not complaining if it's a gift! It's a perfect option for general-purpose entertaining when you have easily-impressed, whisky-ignorant friends or family members visiting, without having to waste something half decent on them.

[@carlubambi5541]

Wasted many a good bottle on people who don't know the difference .could have served them sock water and they would think it's fine . Then there are a few friends we try and we save our money to get ,hopefully a good bottle and get together and watch a game and cook some food and discuss eachother .our wives and our children and especially criticize the football players and the scotch or brandy or grappa or the wine we picked for dinner .

[@Harry-o8r4w]

78 is generous, it’s borderline drinkable, I could taste the e150a in it when I last drank it years ago. I’d hardly wash my mouth out with it now

[@1Fmarcel]

Looks like a bottle you would find in duty free, in one of the Calais - Dover ferries.

[@darrylcalder]

I must admit that early on in my whiskey tastings the colour of Talisker was very enticing. Ive learned that there is something much nicer in the glass a champagne coloured Ardbeg 10, but people taste with their eyes, and as an amateur musician I can attest that they listen with their eyes too.

[@donaldfschiff1229]

I totally get it. Diageo has made Talisker (and every other brand they own) into shite. It's a damn shame. Talisker used to be amazing.

[@samaf2198]

When you said the changes came about when the industry was trying to attract non-whisky drinkers, it took me back to the early 2000s and the 'innovations' back then. Not sure if you remember J&B -6C and the whole promotion schemes in nightclubs on Johnnie and Dewar's cocktails with pretty young ladies. The brief was always for us to lure away the vodka drinkers into whisky. It all failed miserably

[@carlubambi5541]

Drink how you like .its your life .Alcohol is your friend and your worst enemy .I have learned to slow down quite a bit and enjoy the taste experience because life's too fast and too short .I have a tree crematorium running full blast with some oak and beech burning and I just threw in a potato rubbed with seasonings and bacon fat .And will be enjoying it with an 18 year old I got as a gift a few years ago . Can't wait to open the bottle takes 30 minutes for the baked potato and 18 minutes for the scotch to breath .Enjoy how you wish

[@jonison6847]

Thanks Ralfy. I found the Talisker Dark Storm to be a big fail too, a not-great, immature Talisker masked by a novelty char top. I'm finding the 10 is still good, but with ups and downs on individual bottles. The price of Talisker 18 is simply taking the p*ss. I wish they'd get back to basics ...

[@1Fmarcel]

The first batch of Talisker Storm was complex and nice. Have a friend who bought one, accomplished with small tumblers, and when she finally opened it, we were surprised how delicious it was. Maybe it was a little bottle aged, but still.

[@scrimmy45]

@@1Fmarcel it never bottle ages. Impossible.

[@jonison6847]

@@1Fmarcel Never tried the regular "Storm" - just the "Dark storm". My favourite ever Talisker was my DIY blend of 10, 18 and 57 North. Glad you had a good one - cheers!

[@riccardo5281]

The Port Ruighe Is probably the best stuff for the money

[@pedrohcmenezes]

Talisker is just another from those amazing distilleries mistreated by its owners.

[@LoucoPorWhisky]

Is it Okay to add ice to chill the drink, stir than remove the ice instead of just adding water, if you live in a place where the temperatures are around 30°C?

[@MrCamel254]

If you like scotch with ice then its okay to add ice to your scotch. Dont let snooty whisky snobs tell you how to enjoy your drink.

[@andrewscott6789]

Could not agree more, as always your comments are spot on

[@somewaresim]

I've ordered a cheap bottle of The Glenlivet Carribean Reserve for the same price instead. Looking forward to your review of Clydeside Napier in 2025 - it's my favourite whisky so far.

[@IgansF]

My late dad made me discover whisky with a talisker 10 yrs in 1999...Unfortunately there is no way I can find memory of that time in today's talisker. I might be more lucky with some ardbeg or lagavulin (but way to expensive now) Thank you Ralfy.

[@Soldano999]

Lagavulin is very inconsistent. Try ledaig 10

[@IgansF]

@Soldano999 thx mate. ledaig is on my todrink list. But it wasn't one of the few i drank home when my malt journey started.

[@charlo125]

Cats like boxes. 🐈

[@marygaleac]

Really like.. Storm….currently drinking Port Ruighe…..and GlenAllchie 12……prefer the latter…..bit disappointed with the former in comparison to Storm….Waiting for Hogmanay when I become a Pensioner and uncork my Bladnoch Wave1…..

[@martinbeen]

i think 78 for the cheapest Talisker, is a good score.

[@MyScottyboy1]

Hey, where did the Benromach go?...That's Magic! I'm 1/4 bottle into the Benromach Contrasts: Organic 46% first fill cask matured 9yr old, 2015-24. It is very tasty.

[@HHHThanatos]

oh, 15 minutes ago this video showed up.. comments are a day old.. patreon sneak peek? Regarding the 45,8% I'd like to quote the user Kapaneus from a whisky forum: "[...] is the conversion of the old 80 Imperial proof stength that was used in pre-metric ages. But the 57.15% that make up 100 proof will result in 45.7% for 80 proof when considering only a single decimal place. This question came up on Twitter and in a forum discussion, and the consensus was that 45.8% were chosen to guarantee 80 proof minimum because 45.7% flat would mean minimally less than 80 proof. And the distillery manager actually confirmed that this was indeed the reasoning behind selecting the 45.8%."

[@bobmcclure8069]

You make good points Ralphy. You have to market to your consumers. I have been consistently saddened by my attempts to get a real wee heavy on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh or anywhere in Scotland. I can get Coors Lite, Bud Lite, or occasionally the bartender has recommended an exotic brew called 'Yuengling'. As a native of Pennsylvania, I have been to Pottsville and done the brewery tour. Yuengling is decent stuff, but the label 'exotic' is a reach. Maybe someday I'll get my full bodied pint of heavy with a smokey bowl of Cullen Skink and a nice meat pie. I guess we just have to keep looking and hoping...

[@grouchypseudopod354]

The more years I tend bar, the more i agree with ralfy on his whisky rants. People should be drinking less better things. They really really should.

[@chentim1751]

Yes, quality is the key

[@peatbull3426]

100% agreed but most of ppl go to pub/bar Not for premium moments, they want to get drunk Not spending a lot. Simply 🤷‍♂️😁🥂🥂🥂🙋‍♂️

[@RemoteViewr]

Even more amusingly, Blackgrange is right next to 4 massive chicken farms

[@Metal5678]

I enjoy the sweet sea salt I get on this whisky,It does have a maratime nose.

[@WendellMacKinnon]

Well said, Ralfy! We pay for this stuff, right? Make it worth the money. Thanks, again.

[@Metal5678]

Loads of great black friday deals on whisky here is just a few Tobermory 12 £31, bunnahabhain toiteach A dha £33( Delicious peated bunnah) , Arran 10 £35, Deanston 18 £64, Ledaig10 £33. Kilchoman machir bay £39 , Talisker 10 £29, bunnahabhain 12 £36 and many more.

[@DaveP668]

Agreed. Just been looking at Spanish airport duty free prices and malt whisky is cheaper from UK Amazon. Ledaig Rioja grabbed my attention at about £35.

[@Metal5678]

I just purchased a bottle of Ledaig Rioja off Amazon uk £30 black friday deal 👍

[@watson946]

Yep, that Arran 10 price couldn't be ignored, nice prices for craigellachie 13 can also be found too

[@paintspot1509]

Bruchladdie wee laddie is £34 in sainsburys

[@anton7288]

This always puzzled me if the sea makes it or it’s the fact that the distillery happens to be next to the sea 😄

[@ahpadt]

the new make is made by the sea then matured inland. disingenuine marketing imo.

[@tonychettleburgh8953]

'made by the sea' matured on an industrial estate on the mainland.

[@barryhamilton7845]

It should be matured on Skye, where it's meant to be matured? That's what's missing, and better owners.Diageo and Pernod Ricard, have ruined a few distilleries between them! Other companies would resurrect these back to their iconic status.

[@adamhenton6221]

Hot damn I love what you have to say ralphie

[@billyhughes9776]

It seems this Whisky is designed (and priced accordingly) for curious, beginner whisky drinkers,...and/or as you call them "lazy consumers"? For the people that are really looking to get into whisky and don't have a lot of cash this seems like a good option. Regarding "lazy consumers" -- Big corporations have played the biggest role in creating them and are exactly what they want.

[@ElieJobert-v2u]

OK there is of course some truth in his words. But I agree with the others, he goes too far in denigrating others... You have to be careful and respect people's choices! I am what you call an enthusiast and yet I love Lagavulin 16 for its taste. Be careful! Talking badly about alcoholism or big companies is OK. But don't denigrate people in this way

[@bblair2627]

I would pass it by and pick up a Glen Moray for the same price

[@andrewh9629]

Yes you could make a reasonable case that the claim 'made by the sea' implies that maturation also occurs by the sea and is therefore misleading. Particularly given it cannot be legally called whisky until matured for 2 years and doing so by the sea would provide a different flavour.

[@helenmenzies9488]

3 years in Scotland!

[@paulm749]

Talisker 10 was one of my favorites 15 years ago. I haven't bought any in the past 7 or 8 years and have no plans to purchase any of their product in the foreseeable future as their quality has fallen off and the pricing has gotten absurd. It's simply another brand I've had to walk away from.

[@DaveP668]

Blackgrange near Alloa. 6m barrels of Diageo whiskies all maturing so any coastal influence simply isn't there. Choose a proper island matured whisky for that.

[@lordprefab5534]

Between the rivers Devon and Forth giving the riparian influence.

[@David-fl9iv]

I googled Black Grange. Its beside a huge poultry farm. Maybe Ralfy is picking up on the particular twang of hen dung in the aftertaste.

[@beataignioranza]

Hopefully, I won't come across as too snotty, but there's one point I'd like to make: burning that cardboard isn't exactly biofuel. God only knows what will result from the burning of all those inks and plastics used in the graphic presentation. I certainly wouldn't want to be breathing that smoke myself. 😅

[@Mylatestdram]

You could easily tell the same story with a Laphroaig Select in your hand and just had to switch names. Its just not the same as they used to be and thats from my perspective, only observing the changes from the last 15 years.

[@ronanmcconnellable]

It's not bad malt mark for £23 to be fair. It's grand. Sweeter than the 10, the least smokiest and saltiest of the range. Grand for the price

[@pavelgl5926]

For the given price, а few can compete with Skye, considering the ABV of 45.8% BTW boxes can be useful - they protect the whisky from the sunlight, If you don't plan to drink the whiskey right away and don't want to hide it in a cupboard or basement.

[@finnvalley8618]

I bought this with the memory of toasting the birth of my daughter with a Talisker 10. My daughter is now 11 years old and I was shocked by the poor quality of this whisky. What a let down.

[@Soldano999]

Ardbeg 5 Scarabus Ledaig There are quite a few better options at that price...

[@jonison6847]

100% agree re boxes. I can attest to this after my cat decided to go on adventures on my whisky shelf ... 😕

[@michaelm.9680]

45.8 seems to be Taliskers choice for some of their bottlings... Don't buy any of them any longer, just having 1993 DE left. They put me off with the worst tour I've ever at a distillery, which seems to be typical for Diageo. So sad to have so many great destillates been ruined by buisness interests. Thanks for speaking up Ralfy.

[@leoyu1070]

Finally some whisky for the poor(me)

[@perrin6]

I spend extra and get a good, flavourful whisky, pour 15ml and do a lot of smelling and take tiny sips. I think I get more value for money that way.

[@schmileyboy]

Oh look a kitty

[@stevelandwonder4760]

The whole of the UK is classed meteorologically as a "maritime" climate so Diageo could claim to mature "by the sea". Granted the waves are not crashing on the warehouse steps...

[@grbadalamenti]

This is an ingredient to Johnnie Walker Red Label.

[@riccardo5281]

No it isn't

[@ЭддВладимиров]

For this money is not bad.

[@Doddo13]

Generous mark for modest dram. I think it deserves 76

[@KNURKonesur]

btw. Bunnahabhain Moine is readily available on Amazon for 34 quid if you're looking for more cheapo NAS stuff

[@perrin6]

I wont be buying the Benromach. It looks like retailers have all slapped an extra £13-15 on it, they must have clairvoyants working for them who have foreseen a high malt mark !

[@AdlerDanEgoe]

8:30

[@weesky5222]

price is too high since 2 years for whisky...and quality did not, to stay polite :/

[@RebMordechaiReviews]

Ralfy, FYI The Talisker Skye is matured in a combination of Refill Toasted American Oak and Virgin Charred Oak casks. Then they've added plenty of E150a for good measure. (No Sherry casks).

[@eivindkaisen6838]

The "lazy customer" is UNinterested. Being DISinterested means neutral, unbiased. (Or used to.)

[@macgybel7951]

Blackgrange warehouses are next to a big complex of poultry farms - so there's your proof that Diageo have chickened out of making quality whisky...

[@lordprefab5534]

Midtown warehouses are even closer.

[@frankwalter6975]

Wow, hat a was a real angry review. But good

[@shadmehr99]

16:55: Those passive consumers, I would assume, are the gen z youngster around the world who don't even have a mood for durability of anything good. They just want a quick goodie, be it dance, music, food, drink, etc...

[@johnzajac9849]

A judge is disinterested. A whiskey drinker is uninterested.

[@Malt454]

Everybody talks value when the quality isn't there. Standards have simply fallen, in more ways than one.

[@bluesmanen1]

Nice review. Just a thougt about the box/tube or what ever package...I can absolutley see the advantage with no package at all, but imho, there's a big adantage WITH the package, box or tube, and that's when you want to store your bottles in a cabinet or similar. Then you can stack the packages, wich is impossible if you only have the bottles. It saves space....just an aspect of it. Cheers

[@elih9700]

I detest this whiskey.

[@DominikK45]

Why Ralfy, why?? Haven't we moved on from this stuff years ago?

[@driverfish7277]

Anybody who pays for a bottle of whisky has the right to drink it how they wish and suggesting that someone who gulps whisky has nothing to do in their life is quite mean spirited and nasty. Sorry I don't think that kind of comment is helpful to a potential new whisky drinker or the community in general Ralfy.

[@duncanbowie6396]

It was a little bit harsh, even for ralfy

[@johnandrus3901]

I don't think that it was too harsh. It is just a way to say that they don't really care, when it comes to whiskey. That's the way that I see it, anyway.

[@grbadalamenti]

Drinking is dangerous. So one needs to get educated before discussing rights.

[@Soldano999]

I love it when ralphy goes ballistic

[@chentim1751]

It is only an opinion, and it is just a whisky?!

[@wildturkeyuk3005]

Sorry but your vids seem to be more about propaganda and spouting blatant speculative bs than whisky. Smearing folk because of how they drink is pathetic, to put it kindly. Very ironic for someone who claims they're into stoicism...

[@WBO-lp3cp]

If you can't handle the rant, get out of the bothy.

[@wildturkeyuk3005]

It was not a rant in my eyes, far from it. It was lame childish point scoring. Moaning for the sake of moaning...

[@victorsia1434]

78%, why bother reviewing a diageo product?!😅😂😅