Whisky : Talisker 25 Year (2017 Edition)

Country/Region : Scotland/Islands

ABV : 45.8%

Age : 25 Year

Nose : Dried citrus, peppery smoke, and maritime salt.  Sweet subtle smoke and medicinal-mineral notes of smoldering bonfire embers, camphor, menthol, and driftwood.  Maritime breeze over sand dunes, black pepper, dried lemon rind, and dried ginger.  Hospital notes kept coming to mind between citrus cleaning agent, medicinal herbs, and sea cotton linens. 

Palate :  Medium body with a mellow mild mannered profile with notes of soft maritime, citrus, and herbal spice.  Gentle notes of dried citrus, sea salt, dried ginger, and a mellow fruity sarsaparilla.  A lovely chalkiness came through with weathered oak and an herbal fruity tea.

Finish :  Long finish with dried citrus peels and a chalky dryness.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Landscape Drafting on the Dunes

Notes : Wow— this was an incredibly mellow and easy drinking Talisker.  I loved the interplay between the normal peppery smoke of a younger bolder Talisker with the gentle citrus fruits that emerged after two and a half decades in the cask.  This had a lovely fruitiness to it that I have never noticed from the distillery.  This was delightfully unique and I can really see the appeal.

If the score of a six seems low after reading the preceding paragraph, this dram suffers a bit because of how light it feels.  It was incredibly mellow with a smooth gentle mouthfeel that felt more like silk than a nice comfy cotton blanket.  I think that can be a virtue to some, but it left me wishing this had a bit more of an oomph— or even a bit more complexity to really keep me coming back for more.  This tickled my fancy in the same way as a young Glenburgie but at a significantly higher cost.  

While cost is not a factor I actively think about with a rating, sometimes it bleeds into my thinking.  I cannot help but know that I would not pay $300 for this bottle, though I would happily accept another pour if someone offered.  That said, I do think this is a better deal than the comparative Laphroaig 25 Year.  I gave that a similar score, but I would hands down pick this over it any time.  Besides being slightly cheaper, the flavors were cleaner and the finish was longer.

Overall, this was quite nice even if I was left wishing it were a bit punchier.

Image Credit : thewhiskyexchange.com