Talisker 2011 8 Year Old Whisky Rum Finish Special Releases 2020 57.9%

Talisker 2011 8 Year Old Rum Finish Special Releases 2020 57.9%

Official Tasting Notes

BODY - Medium

NOSE - A light nose-feel with some prickle. The top notes are sweet and maritime, with hints of molasses and crystalline sugar vying with dry seaweed, crystal salt and iodine, then ‘pear drop’ boiled fruit sweets below, on a smoky base with traces of charred meat. A drop of water softens the attack, increasing the maritime character and reducing the sweet notes, while introducing a hint of smoke.

PALATE - A soft, smooth texture and a big taste; salty and especially, lightly sweet, before the full-on Talisker pepperiness takes over. Very drying. Water rounds it, softening the rich sweetness and bringing up the pepper, but the profile is similar.

FINISH - Long, hotly peppery and drying, finishing sweet and smoky with the typical Talisker chilli-pepper ‘catch’ in the swallow. With water more rounded but similar, leaving a thread of smoke on the tongue.

The Talisker distillery is in the Highlands region and owned by whisky industry giant’s Diageo. The distillery is located on the beautiful Isle of Skye and has a lengthy, thriving history of production dating back to 1830 when founded by Hugh & Kenneth MacAskill. 
Over the past twenty years Talisker has increasing become one of the main single malt whisky brands worldwide. Currently sales stand at 3.2 million bottles annually and it holds eighth place on the best selling Scottish single malt list. Recently the owners took the decision to completely overhaul the visitor centre to encourage a higher percentage of the 650,000 annual tourists to the island to visit the distillery. 
Talisker has won many prestigious awards. Most notably the Talisker 10 year old took ‘Best Islands Single Malt’ at the 2017 World Whiskies Awards and was a gold medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirit Competition 2017. The style of whisky is enjoyed for its full-bodied, smoky and maritime character. The core range is Skye and Storm with no age statement. Distiller's Edition 10, 18, 25 and 30 years old in Amoroso sherry finish casks. Plus theres the Port Ruighe finished in ruby port casks. In 2022 the 44 year old Forests of the Deep was released unusually finished in casks that were charred using sea kelp.