Talisker 18 Year

Talisker was 007's favorite drink, not the martini - shaken or not ;-). It is Isle of Skye's only distillery and was originally built in 1831 before being rebuilt in 1960 after a fire destroyed the entire facility. Talisker ordered 5 exact replicas of the original yet to be built to preserve the distinctive flavor. An interesting part of these stills are the gooseneck lye tubes that force some of the alcohol to condense before they hit the worm tubs and are distilled. This gives Talisker his rich body! Phenomenal complexity and composition here. Beautiful mature peat spills into a series of fruits that are already growing and emerging as they tend to do with age. Smoke and pepper, as you would expect with Talisker, but all in a balance appropriate to his age. Color: Amber. Nose: Rich and fruity - Victoria plums, green vegetables, maybe dried orange peel - with some butterscotch or rum toffee and smoke yarn behind it. The smoke quickly comes to the fore and the toffee tone is accompanied by a slight mintiness. Maritime characteristics emerge with water - dry boat varnish, edible seaweed. Still sweet; now with notes of iodine and the smokiness of an unbeaten match. Taste: Sweet on the front, then more assertive, with a hint of smoke. The overall effect is warming. The development focuses on smoke, coal tar and toffee. Finish: Talisker's signature pepper 'catch' is subtly present in the finish. A beautiful after-dinner whiskey, although it can also be used in the late afternoon ....