Talisker 57° North

Talisker 57° North (57%, OB, 2012)

ABV: 57%
Age: NAS
Bottling: OB, Diageo
Category: Island single malt scotch whisky
Cost: £69.90
Origin: Talisker Distillery
Vintage: Undeclared

What they say

A cask strength bottling from the Talisker distillery, bearing no age statement. This was named for the Isle of Skye sits on the line of latitude 57 Degrees North.

This beautifully release from Talisker boasts huge flavour in the weighty 57.0% ABV.

Official tasting notes:

in brief… All of Talisker’s full-on vigour, with the promise of wisdom to come. In a sentence… A classic, intense Talisker that’s like looking out to sea with a storm brewing, and which becomes deeper and more approachable when water is added.

Nose:
Very clean and intense, with light smoke soon appearing. Creamy toffee, with pronounced fruit acidity. Hints of edible seaweed, heather blossom and a calming influence of vanilla that balances the crisp attack. Chalky and minty. In time, chocolate, then salt. The chocolate becomes slightly nuttier: like praline. Water tempers the attack and brings out a slightly oily note. Initially there’s a firework/struck match edge, then more seaweed, as if you’re at the high water mark on a sandy beach. Sweet yet salty, with a savoury sharpness.

Palate:
Tart fruit, sweet to start, with smoke and tar abruptly exploding around the middle of the mouth. Sweet-centred, a little like liqueur chocolate, yet tempered by a savoury edge that stops things becoming too polite. Water deepens the effect and smoothes out the abrupt shift between sweet and smoke. Mouth filling, silky and complex.

Finish
Oily, tingling with the signature pepperiness. Smoother with water.

What I say

The foil to my most recent Talisker DE sampling (2007 vintage) was a chance to sample their eponymous 57° North expression, carrying no age statement but bottled at 57% ABV.

My tasting notes:

Appearance: Dark amber bronze (13/20), medium-large tears and thick legs.
Nose: Smokey and savoury, peat smoke and brown toast, malty, oaky wood, sea spray, raw and elemental, chocolate, peppery with a granite minerality.
Taste: Rich, sharp and full bodied, citrus fruits, thick malt, brown toast, peaty malted barley, earthy and turfy peat smoke, old leather, wave-smashed rocks/seashore.
Finish: Long, salt and pepper, oak wood, peat smoke and charcoal.

Overall

Another hugely enjoyable expression from Talisker, sadly discontinued but thankfully this appears to have been replaced with strong and youthful Talisker’s featuring in Diageo’s special releases – hopefully one day I’ll get to try them.

The Whiskyphiles

Talisker 57° North