Talisker Sample Pack No-Notes Review: 10yo, Storm, Skye (plus 8yo Special Release 2021)

[@justwhisky]

Great review. T10 was my WOTY…especially for $45-$50 in my area. Cheers 🥃

[@justwhisky]

@sidd finch to each his own I guess.

[@justwhisky]

@sidd finch hard to say because I find each T10 bottle such an enjoyable chameleon

[@differentspirits4157]

Heck, at that price you could almost make this a daily drinker...

[@hordeum-vulgare]

I've done this same comparo and I came to the same conclusion: Talisker needs the full 10 years (unless it's the 8 YO cask strength!) and it sure doesn't need wood technology. "Old 14 year old [dog] with a big wet coat": who could resist that tasting note?

[@differentspirits4157]

It certainly needs to be babied a little, that's for sure!

[@circumbendibus77]

Talisker, schmalisker... I'm interested in your love of Northern Rhône syrahs, having laid down cases of Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas and Côte-Rotie 2018, which I bought en primeur. 5 years into their aging, it would still feel like infanticide to open the Cornas and Cote-Rotie. Same goes for a bottle of 2016 Alain Voge Cornas. Oh well. Patience is a virtue when it comes to syrah.

[@differentspirits4157]

Those '18s aren't going to take as long to come around as (say) the '15s, but they're still going to be monsters at this stage! (And of course I love syrah! It's probably vying with cabernet franc as my favorite red grape, at least until Burgundy finally drags me into its clutches.)

[@circumbendibus77]

@@differentspirits4157 Good to know! The affordable domaine that did it for me with Burgundy was Tollot-Beaut - their Chorey-les-Beaune is a gem and drinks very well young (bonus!). I haven't tried any aged cab francs e.g. Saumur Champigny but know that gamay can age well - Morgon Cote du Py especially. If you feel like branching out into wine tastings, I'll be viewing.

[@economicsjingle]

Sounds good, but I don't know where you could get the 10 year for sub-$60 these days. Most places have it closer to $70, and the PA state store is asking a whopping $88.39 for it.

[@gentlemana1204]

U can get 10 year for 28$ in China,72$ for 3, 60$ is absurd.

[@differentspirits4157]

Chicago, we of the $140 Lagavulin 16, is rather amazingly still keeping the Talisker 10 at $60 for the moment. I don't know why, but I'll take it!

[@timothymuehlfeld6975]

I will try to restrain myself from doing the usual Diageo rant. In my defense, they do own many of the finest distilleries in the world. What do they do with them other than drowning us in a bunch of crappy blends and a handful of overprocessed and overpriced single malts? Oops, was that a rant?

[@differentspirits4157]

I forgive you! Diageo has its moments where it actually lets out something good, and as a reviewer and consumer I feel like I should reward those moments. 😅