Ned here one more time as I finish up my hosting for February. Our tour takes us to the islands this week as we try the Talisker 10. According to the box, this is the only distillery on the Isle of Skye. I admit, that sounds pretty cool and brings up romantic notions of a trip there. Talisker was founded in 1830. Here is a link with some info about visiting the distillery.
Here is a bottle pic, I tried to get a little artsy as I am getting more comfortable with this format.
Scotches from the Islands region are reputed to be heavy on the smoky-peat flavor with a bit of sea breeze thrown in for good measure. I admit to having high expectations for this one. No trepidation here, just excitement.
Color: orangey-gold
Legs: strong
Nose: A punch of peat hits you right away, I do not really notice much around that. Ohh, but I like it.
Taste: OK, there is no hint of smoke here, the peatiness is right in the forefront, kind of up close and personal. There is a nice, pleasant warmth as it goes down.
A stong finish, and quite long.
For the first time I am a little hesitant to add the water drop, do I really want to bring out more peaty flavor? Surprisingly enough, an added drop seems to bring out other flavors without intensifying the peat too much. I am not sure what, but there is a little more here. This is a good one for me. I love a real wood fire. The warmth, the light, the crackle and the smell of the smoke bring out very pleasant emotions for me. Nostalgia for family, friends and good times awash over me whenever I get in front of a fire. The first few sips of this do the same. However, if I got too fast, it gets to be too much, kind of like standing too close to a real flame. If I go slowly, this is very enjoyable, but too much too fast is not. I am not certain I could handle any more peat than this, but hey, it is only week 8, who knows where this journey will take me? As it is, I pour myself a second dram to enjoy for a long time this evening.
If I had to rank this month, I would say it is a tie between the Talisker and the Glenkinchie. The Dufftown is in third with the Dalwhinnie a distant 4th.
I pass along the torch to brother Bob who is hosting March. It has been a blast and I look forward to my next chance to force my family to drink what I want.
Hum....
ReplyDeleteThis one surprises a bit. Great color, and bit subtle on the aroma side. Only one word describes the taste though - smooooooth.....
It has a nice, complex taste, but doesn't tear at the tonsils at all, nor do you get that deep burn on first sip that can be common with whiskies.
An easy drink, but also one to enjoy and explore a bit in my opinion. Makes the GL12 taste like hard lemonade...
Saving the best for last Ned? This was a great way to finish the month out. I had the notion I wouldn't like it, obviously had this confused with some bad stuff dad tried to pawn off on me once.
ReplyDeleteI would have to taste this alongside the Macallan to tell which I liked best... this is definitely a whisky's whisky.. good strong, but yes smooth, peat smell to it... I was almost afraid to try it, how could the taste live up to the scent?
But as brother Ned said on the phone, taste goes hand in hand with scent.
He was right. It's my idea of a scotch. Smooth but warm. A taste that said, yes you have arrived. Kick off your shoes. Settle in front of the fire. And enjoy the end of the day.
Definitely a scotch to linger with, sip, dont go drinking it too fast because it will burn.
nose is very peaty. 1st sip: (tough to take the nose on this one) Yep, and a decided peaty taste as well. Nice. A little burn but tolerable. 2nd sip: the nose is now less pronounced and the taste has bloomed into a more complex set of notes. Time for a splash to help separate some of the flavors: a little creamy texture (I believe this is a characteristic of my water) but still the nice, rich peaty taste with something else. Ice cubes: Ah, now there’s a drink! Licorice emerges. This one is good. No soda for it! A nice warm feeling in the mouth, with no further burn. And the peat is still noticeable. Almost a hint of coffee. Definitely one for the porch.
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