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Talisker 18 Year Old

Awards Night

0 1096

@talexanderReview by @talexander

9th Mar 2014

0

Talisker 18 Year Old
  • Nose
    25
  • Taste
    24
  • Finish
    23
  • Balance
    24
  • Overall
    96

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

So tonight is the Canadian Screen Awards, our country's answer to the Oscars. Since no-one goes to Canadian films (so the public has no idea what is up for awards), they have to jazz it up by awarding TV shows as well, and getting Martin Short to host (who, thank God, is better than any Oscar host since Bob Hope). I'll be attending tonight, cheering our films on. And what better way to mark the day by also tasting an award-winning malt from one of my favourite distilleries?

Like the 10 Year Old, the 18 is primarily ex-bourbon cask malts with a smaller proportion of European oak ex-sherry casks. Thank you to Paul Santos for this generous sample.

The colour is a medium gold. On the nose, peppered herring wrapped in caramel and high-quality milk chocolate. Enormously complex. Tangy peat, mint, sage, leather, wood polish, musty library. Cinnamon and cloves. Banana and papaya. BBQ pulled pork. The subtle smoke that wafts up is glorious. Incredible. No need for water, which dulls the edges a little.

On the palate - incredible. The creamy mouthfeel combined with the kick and spice is a perfect balance. Chili peppers, toffee, nougat - and then it gets hotter and hotter, in the best way possible. Honey and bacon. Darker fruits combined with fresh and vibrant peat. Spectacular. Although the water dulls the nose, it opens up some spice on the palate.

The finish features more smoke in the back, with freshly ground black pepper up front, and some more chilies in the caramel and vanilla. This is one of my very favourite Talisker expressions, absolutely stunning. Side-by-side with the excellent 2000 DE, the 18 blows it away in complexity and range. This won World's Best Single Malt at the 2007 World Whiskies Awards, beating Yoichi 1986 and Balvenie 1972 Vintage Cask. If you can grab one, do it - and while you're at it, grab me one too!

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10 comments

@Victor
Victor commented

Nope. Talisker 18 ain't half bad.

10 years ago 0

@luckyshot
luckyshot commented

Nice take on the talisker 18yo, I just don't understand why they started adding so much coloring to the entire Lineup! This I notice after 2011 with the 30yo! Also lowering their strength to the talisker standard 45.8%. It just irks me, I don't wanna vent here, I do love talisker though. Again nice review.

10 years ago 0

@Onibubba
Onibubba commented

Currently on "sale" at K&L wines if you are on the left coast or live in a ship to state. $109.00. Still expensive, but you are not going to find much better pricing on this one.

10 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

@Onibubba, yes that is a good price, here in Ontario though it's impossible to find, I don't think it's ever been in the LCBO.

@luckyshot, I'm surprised they added colouring to the 30 year old! But then again, maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Given I scored a 96 to a malt diluted to 45.8% and that is coloured, I fail to see how a higher ABV and being non-coloured could have inspired me to give it a higher score. As it is, I find it almost perfect...

10 years ago 0

@wtrstrnghlt
wtrstrnghlt commented

This one has been on my wishlist for a while together with the Laphroaig 18y and the HP 18y. I've found the other two and they are in my cabinet, but haven't seen the Talisker around here yet.

10 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

@wtrstrnghlt, both of those 18s are spectacular.

10 years ago 0

@luckyshot
luckyshot commented

Talexander your 96 score for talisker 30yo is huge! But I agree, it's good Whisky. As far as dilution goes most talisker 30yo average out around 51% abv. Bottling it at 45.8% should not take away much from it.

10 years ago 0

R
Rigmorole commented

Have you seen Martin Short as the Mad Hatter? It's the best Mad Hatter ever in an otherwise dismal film from a decade ago. I don't doubt he is a good host. Very funny. I miss Ricky Gervais on the Oscars. It appears that his career has tanked due to stepping on toes (which I applaud). And he recently signed with Disney to do his latest film. Big mistake. Once you go Disney, you never get your career back. Just ask Whoopey Goldberg.

10 years ago 0

R
Rigmorole commented

My mouth literally fell open when Gervais "outed" Scarlet Johanssen as Jewish.

10 years ago 0