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 Residence Hundreds of tastings, all of the music, all of the rambligs and all of the enjoyable (hopefully!)


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Hello, that is considered one of our (virtually) every day tastings. Santé! |
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October 21, 2024
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A trio of Talisker
Now that it’s been introduced that the distillery goes to be rebuilt, considerably like Caol Ila was within the mid-Nineteen Seventies, maybe we may do a really temporary retrovertical tasting, what do you suppose? Let’s not overlook that Talisker had already been rebuilt round 1960-1962 after a fireplace.
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 Analcime crystals, a typical zeolite mineral from Talisker Bay (Place des Minéraux) |

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Tactical 27 yo 1973/2001 (46%, Douglas Laing, Outdated Malt Cask, 264 bottles) 
The precise title, in actual fact, was ‘Administrators Tactical Choice’, however Douglas Laing, and later its two branches following the brothers’ cut up, had been ready to make use of the ‘Talisker’ model title. This Talisker was distilled utilizing barley from Glen Ord Maltings (similar to Brora was), as its personal maltings had closed, I consider the 12 months prior. Color: pale gold. Nostril: completely stunning, like getting into an artist’s studio with oil paints, charcoal, fixative, turpentine, linseed oil, and previous rags scattered about. Then, there’s a contact of citron, silver polish, and a few very well mannered seaweed, maybe even just a few cooked whelks. Mouth: really distinctive, paying homage to the previous official bottlings (significantly the 8-year-old), with a right away hit of brine, adopted by grapefruit and smoked oysters. It’s filled with iodine and ash, and once more, these ‘previous tubes of oil paint’ come to thoughts. Let’s name it Veronese inexperienced (why not?). End: lengthy, salty, with a definite Manzanilla notice. Feedback: there’s one thing splendidly old school about this, with the peat so completely woven in—it’s part of the whisky, not simply laid on prime, as can generally occur as of late. One wonders if we paid sufficient consideration to Talisker when bottles like this had been out there… I think about we did.
SGP:465 – 93 factors.
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Tactical 19 yo 1980/2000 (50%, Douglas Laing, Outdated Malt Cask, 348 bottles)
This one additionally slipped beneath our noses again within the day. To be truthful, it was all about Ardbeg again then, wasn’t it? Color: white wine. Nostril: it’s wonderful how a lot easier and extra simple that is, leaning extra on smoked almonds and lapsang souchong. But it’s nonetheless a really pretty whisky, little question about it. Pencil shavings, soot, ashes, and sea water. With water: hints of mint leaves, toasted sesame oil, and a contact of Bakelite. Mouth (neat): iodine tincture, sea water, lemon juice, and ashes. Nonetheless superb, although rather more simple than the 1973. With water: a decidedly fashionable Talisker. We’ll see extra of that in only a few moments. A great deal of ashes right here. End: lengthy. Lime, iodine, and ashes, with a little bit of that signature pepper. Feedback: glorious, however I feel it sits within the shadow of the marvellous 1973.
SGP:366 – 87 factors. |

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Talisker 8 yo ‘Tidal Churn’ (58.7%, OB, Stone-spun and re-toasted end, Particular Releases 2024) 
I see they’re saying, ‘the barrels’ authentic char layers are polished away by rocks and water, then flippantly re-toasted.’ Sounds fairly techy (AI thought?), nevertheless it’s absolutely higher than a tequila or shiraz end. It jogs my memory of final 12 months’s very previous Talisker, the place the ending casks had been uncovered to excessive chilly and one way or the other ‘cracked’. Maybe subsequent 12 months they’ll play Led Zeppelin to the casks—or higher but, the Oysterband with the pleasant June Tabor. Color: white wine. Nostril: undecided if it’s the therapy that’s bringing out all this fruitiness—there’s pear liqueur and ripe apples—nevertheless it’s definitely fairly fruity for a Talisker, and barely peaty. For now. With water: the maritime facet surfaces, with sea water, seaweed, oysters, ashes, and some drops of cider vinegar. Mouth (neat): extra maritime now, salty, barely sharp, with loads of ashes and pepper. Very younger. With water: there we go, we’ve arrived at a easy however good younger Talisker. One to purchase by the pallet and stash in a cellar for thirty years or extra. Any volunteers among the many youthful malt followers? End: pretty lengthy, fruitier once more, with the pear returning, some ash, and nonetheless that contact of cider vinegar. Feedback: it virtually seems like a blended malt—50% Talisker, and let’s say 50% Glenkinchie. Actually ‘superb’.
SGP:655 – 85 factors.
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