Whisky: Talisker 9 Year Distillery Handfill 2022/01

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 59.8%

Cask: Rejuvenated Red Wine

Age: 9 Years (Bottled 2022)

Nose: Smoke and sea; burning grass fires and dusty earth filled the air with coastal brine and tar woven throughout; charred fruit, black pepper, and a touch of youthful tingling spirit; subtle chocolate fudge and brown sugar barbecue sauce.

Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, almost syrupy at times, big charred fruits, cherries, and red berries; caramel and fudge paired with sea salt and black peppery; youthful and spirited with prickly spirit popping toward the end; wispy smoke at times, though generally behind the bigger fruits giving them a slightly acrid and peppery twist.

Finish: Medium to long with black pepper, peppery spirit, and slightly metallic smoke.

Score: 6-7 (80)

Mental Image: Table-side Dessert at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Narrative & Notes: Big and bold, the aroma was loaded with smoke and char at an unusual level for Talisker. Plenty of maritime brine and pepper appeared alongside a cask-driven earthiness that lent the impression of a great dust cloud blowing in over a billowing grassfire. Lacquered wood and rich dessert notes developed with more time— loads of fudge from the red wine cask, which carried onto the palate as more berries and charred fruits joined in. Smoke, earth, and brine all fell further into the background on the palate, though pepper popped, both classic cracked black pepper and a youthful, spirited, peppery quality, which lingered throughout the finish.

The flavors were a bit wild and untamed, undoubtedly youthful, but reasonably well-balanced considering the age of the malt and the cask. Some might describe the experience as a bit circular, with notes of smoke and earth arriving first on the nose and only reappearing toward the end on the palate. I wanted something more parallel, with a similar progression on the nose and palate. I did not find the same savory notes as my good buddy Scotch & Sheen, who shared his treasured bottle with me.

Overall, I was still impressed, even if this was cask-heavy and not entirely my cup of tea. I would not go out of my way for the whisky, but I would happily accept a pour or even buy a bottle at the distillery as a memento of my travels.

Image Credit: Scotch & Sheen, check out their review through the link.