Whisky: Talisker 11 Year, 2022 Special Release

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 55.1%

Cask: First Fill Bourbon

Age: 11 Years (Bottled 2022)

Nose: Salt, soot, and cracked black pepper carried on with malty biscuits and toasted herbs; hints of tobacco and citrus rind alongside menthol, bleached coral, and driftwood.

Palate: Medium-bodied, fruit punch candies with salt, soot, and pepper; a touch syrupy at times, like Starburst flavored gelato, the pink flavor perhaps; maritime with more subtle acrid smoke, herbs, and a tingling peppery candy sweetness at the end.

Finish: Medium-length with big peppercorns, fruit punch, and a kiss of salt.

Score: 6 (78)

Mental Image: Starburst Mojitos on the Booze Cruise

Narrative & Notes: According to the bottle label, this special release used less peated stocks of Talisker or perhaps less peat-forward casks. That certainly felt true on the palate, though the aroma maintained plenty of soot and occasionally acrid smoke, especially at first. The bourbon casks took center stage, elevating more brown sugar and fruity candies, especially on the palate.

The whisky had a good mouthfeel with a lovely weighty viscosity that occasionally veered toward something syrupier, especially as those pink Starburst notes came into focus. The finish was nice and long, balancing classic Talisker pepper and the fruitier elements. I was surprised by how mellow some of the maritime qualities appeared, considering how central they are to the distillery’s character. They were there to be sure, but often in the background.

Overall, I am not a Talisker fanboy, but I thought this had a lot to recommend. It was certainly a level above the 2023 release that followed it.