Talisker 18 Year Old

I had my first bottle of this about two years ago and fell in love. I scored it 91 but that mark has since bugged me as I feel it deserved to be at least a point, maybe two, higher than that given what I've scored others. In pure enjoyment terms I don't think anything has beat it. I have since been squirreling them away but opened this bottle about seven months ago.

The review is neat and the bottle is about 3/5's down.

Nose: Still very elegant but less powerful than I recall. This one is more fruity for sure with lots of over-ripe tropical fruits (always a winner for me) like pineapple, mango and lychees . There's some of that Talisker seaweed and general coastal vibes with a little toffee and lots of sweet, woody spices. The peat and smoke are more subdued and very well-integrated, but keep your nose in there and a delightful sweet liquorice note emerges.

Taste: Initially, those sweet over-ripe fruit notes but then the smoke and peat start to emerge with some heft. Man, that's good! More baking spice as it develops then rounded peppery notes take over.

Finish: Long and peppery with some of the funky fruit notes coming back at the death. Very soft oak tannins and drying. Sadly, my favourite part of the last bottle - a sweet liquorice tang in the finish - is less prominent but there is some of that here but more integrated with the fruits.

Overall, this is still excellent whisky but it definitely leans more to the fruitier side. It also seems to have just a touch less body and richness than the last but I really am splitting hairs. I'm glad I have more stashed away and will be seeking out more for sure. A classic with a bit of everything. It's the kind of whisky that you melt into ...

..oops! Rookie! Hit something wrong and off went the review unfinished! We continue...

This is my first review. Been sitting on the side lines for sometime now. It is time to get off the bench and join the game.

I selected my favourite Whisky for this first review...Talisker 18 year old. The bottle has been opened for about two weeks and was hit hard by myself and a few South African visitors last weekend...it was lucky to survive. at all! Thankfully, there remains enough to review.

A drop of water was added before the review...that is how I like it.

The nose on this opens up quite sweetly but peat and salt are apparent almost immediately afterwards. It becomes slightly bitter with mineral edges after a few minutes. Peatiness remains strong but the initial sweetness fades. Seaweed and brine very noticeable.

Sweet peat is the immediate palate hit. Brine and salt are abundant along with minerals and a slightly peppery edge. But this is smooth and elegant. Compared to the 10yo the peppery fiery notes have been really sanded down into a more restrained, but highly polished gem. Thick oily mouthfeel, and with the sweet edge remaining this is a very nicely balanced whisky.

It is a long finish with a bit of traditional Talisker fire grabbing your throat. Remains sweet and dry for some time before descending to a slight bitterness.

Really nice malt, and a rare occasion where I'll rate the palate and finish above the nose. It is how an 18yo whisky should be - smooth and accomplished but still retaining all the traditional character of the distillery from where it originates.

It seemed to take Talisker an age to offer the market something between the accessible 10 year old and the expensive and therefore exclusive 25 year old. I bought this bottle at almost the first opportunity several years back but it’s not gone down much over the years.

Amber gold colour, quite viscous coating the glass as it’s swirled. Aromas are of pine smoke, spicy ginger, vanilla, almond paste and fruity hints of apple with some lemon zest.

Rich full bodied with plenty of attack for an older whisky, but more mellow than its younger sibling. The flavour development is superb with characteristic pine smoke, pepper, gristy malt and fruity and spicy hints. Some fino sherry also makes an appearance for me mid palette but fades into the finish. The finish itself is long, more fruity with some apricot, peachy flavours and a little marzipan, but these fade to leave and dry pepper and smoke at the end.

Overall this is a more mellow offering than the 10 year old as befits the age, some more complexity and subtlety, but tasted alongside one another these differences are difficult to discern. Given the price difference I would not recommend the 18y old to anyone without deep pockets.

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!

I finally decided to open this one, as it has been waiting in my cabinet for some time. The Talisker 18. I had heard good things about this (one of my friends praised it as his favorite whisky), but also some mixed comments. So didn't really know what to expect, expect that it's Talisker of course :)

The nose has peat first of all, but it's not very aggressive. On the contrary, it's actually quite smooth and soft. It's hard to pinpoint any other distinct aromas, some maritime notes I'd suppose, and some sweet creaminess as well. With a splash of water the nose becomes even smoother and the sweeter notes are somewhat emphasized.

The palate is still classic Talisker, only a bit more elegant and mature than the 10yo. It has that peppery sting, the gentle peat and mouthwatering saltiness, all in very nice balance. Adding water doesn't do too much good for the palate in my opinion, even if it becomes even smoother and very drinkable. The Whisky actually loses some of its character.

The finish is long fading pepper and peat, definitely nice.

So how to grade this. It's a nice whisky for sure, and extremely well balanced, but could be a bit more complex for an 18 year old. It's an elegant gentleman version of the more feisty 10yo. Between this and the 10yo I actually can't decide which I would like more, but my favorite Talisker still remains to be the Distiller's Edition.

Ah, yes! Finally some real flavors to sink my teeth into. I had been holding off this classic for a while choosing, instead, to sample some of their newer expressions like the Storm & Port Ruighe, before turning my attention to this gem. While the new expressions from the Skye distillery are doing it no good it's the classics like this 18 year old that keep the faith alive.

The nose is truly a work of art. First the classic peaty smoke but so distinctly understated. Confident in it's maturity. The salty pineapple citrus is next coupled with a refined lemon-lime toffee tartness. And finally a whiff of fresh cucumber sprinkled with the loveliest of white pepper. Oh, yes. This is what I had been waiting for!

The creamy mouthfeel is laced with intense black peppers but then mellows out to give you honey, lemon and chocolate with a dash of tobacco.

The long peppery finish is fruity with a hint of limestone.

These are the classic flavors that made Talisker one of my top distilleries and this expression should be on your list of malts to try before you die.

Nose: sea spray, toasted oak,pears, alcohol, pepper, musky cologne,mild smoke Palate: brine, mango, white pepper, ginger, pineapple Finish: fading smoke (less than Tali 10) and pepper (also less), vanilla, candle wax, Haribo gummy bears Mouthfeel: not syrupy but pretty close

From the nose to the finish, Talisker 18 is richer and more complex than the 10. Of the three main expressions, the 18 brings together what I like best about Talisker, with one exception: the peppery finish of the Tali 10 (which I have never tasted in any other whisky).

Talisker distillery is the only distillery on the Isle of Skye and was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill, sons of the local doctor. It was rebuilt between 1880 and 1887, and was extended in 1900. In 1925 the distillery was acquired by the Distillers Company Ltd and today is part of Diageo. In 1972 the stills were converted to steam heating and the maltings floor was demolished. Talisker distillery is famous for its stills’ swan neck lye pipes: A loop in the pipes takes the vapour from the stills to the worm tubs, so that some of the alcohol condenses before it even reaches the cooler; it then runs back into the stills and is distilled again. The 18 year-old expression has been part of the Talisker core range since 2004.

The nose is rich, sweet and fruity, with pears, caramel and ginger. There are also notes of plastic and furniture polish, as well as just a hint of smoke. All in all this a softer and sweeter nose than the one of the 10-year old.

The palate is medium-bodied and full of a variety of flavours: I got pears, vanilla, as well as coffee. Towards the end the palate gets smokier and spicier, culminating in a peppery kick.

The finish is of medium length, peppery and spicy.

This is a majestic single malt, with the fruity and spicy elements wonderfully balanced. While the 10-year old was already very good to taste, this one takes it to the next level! I can very well picture myself drinking and enjoying this on a cold and stormy night. Brilliant!

The nose invigorates: a very pure nose, heady, with peat that cuts through and yet is not overpowering. None of the tar-like character of Ardbeg. And I should say this older Talisker is more heady and complex than the 10 for sure! The oak comes through in just the right attenuation as you lightly inhale and shift the angle of your glass.

The taste is power and strong: all of the bravado of Lagavulin without the wallop. A very rich and full mouth feel that does not coat with too much oil, and yet satisfies immensely. One's tongue is bathed in spices and just the right amount of tingle. With water, the tingle goes down and more woody, fragrant spices come through. I like it hot with white pepper, dried ginger, cafe du monde coffee (black), smoking mesquite chips.

The finish envelopes the head and neck with delight: white pepper, smoked chipotle pepper with a light burn, allspice and the scent of a new horsehide jacket from Aero. Not an eternal finish, like the Campbeltown Loch 21 that lasts and lasts, but a very fine and satisfying finish, especially without water. With water it is also delicious but the finish doesn't linger so long on the tongue.

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Talisker is the only distillery on the Isle of Skye, something they proudly print on their labels. Although they may get competition as Pràban na Linne, who put the black Poit Dhubh whisky to market, have plans for a distillery on Skye as well. While Talisker is an Island whisky for most of us, the SWA declared that this region is non-existent and thus Talisker is a Highlander. Whatever, SWA. It is one helluva whisky and this 18 Year Old will prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt.

What a fruity nose! Soft and creamy on peaches and apple sauce. Orangettes and vanilla custard. Soft honey. The peat is discreet and there is no salt to speak of. After a few moments, I even get some espresso and baked banana. Mint and chocolate. Well, After Eight delights. Magnificent.

It is oily on the palate and remains very sweet on yellow fruits before exploding in a mix of peppers, liquorice, leather and marzipan. Clear sherry influences. The peat is still discrete. Midpalate, the orangettes return with a salty twist. Nice balance.

In the medium long finish, it is the smoke and pepper that lingers the longest.

A great, complex, wonderfully sweet and salty, balanced Talisker. A Classic.

I work in an imported beer store, I sell wholesale to the public and due to that alcohol is a large part of my daily life.

Conversations revolve around it, days revolve around it, sometimes even weeks revolve around it.

But many of my customers know me for a passionate whisky fiend who's always experimenting and trying new whiskies all the time and due to the price of alcohol in Australia I found myself answering quite a few questions about not beer, but whisky instead.

What whiskies are good? What whiskies would I, the customer like? Is that whisky really worth that price?

So I brought in a couple whisky samples for a couple of my regulars to try, to see if they'd like something in that style, what whiskies they might like, would they actually like whisky or did they just think they liked whisky, etc

I might have cheated considering that I gave them samples of Thomas H Handy 2011 and Balvenie 21 yr old Portwood.

But they loved them.

So I suggested that if they were interested we could possibly start up a whisky club.

Everyone was interested.

Sweet!

We set up a meet for a Saturday evening get together at the local whisky bar, just one of my regulars, a friend of his, my brother in law and myself.

My brother in law and I are the first to arrive so e start ourselves off with an opening dram and then after about 20 or so minutes we're joined by my regular and his friend.

We chat whisky, distilleries, styles, personal histories, all that good stuff and eventually my brother in law and I decide we're ready for a second whisky.

I go with Talisker 18 yr old, he goes with Longrow 7 Year Old Gaja Barolo Wood.

Now Talisker is one of my favorite distilleries out there. It holds a special place in my heart as the 10 yr old was the only whisky my wife and I could afford on our first wedding anniversary.

The 10 yr old is one of the few whiskies that you can always find in my cabinet.

I've been hearing good things about the 18 yr old for quite a while now, but I'd never had a chance to try it so hear it goes!

They bring out the whisky in a tasting glass, very similar to a glencairn and I eagerly give it a nose.

It's the typical peaty smokey nose that I expect. But it's refined, with lots of sexy notes to it. Some sweet fruit, nothing that I could put my finger on, but sweet with hints of iodine and sea salt. Oh so sexy.

It's close to the 10 yr old in nose, but it's been made ever so much more elegant.

Time for a taste though!

Peppery, without the intensity of the 10 yr old, with smoke and peat, then it gets more spicy as some coffee and sweet toffee becomes apparent, and all through it comes my beloved Talisker peppers.

A BEAUTIFUL long sexy peppery Talisker finish with hints of salt.

Oh god I've waited so long to try this bad boy, and it was completely worth it. It reaffirms my love for this distillery and doubly reaffirms my determination to come home from Scotland with an older age or cask strength expression from this distillery.

Sadly in Australia you can expect to pay close to $175 or more which while I love this whisky I do think is a wee bit pricey. Definitely a bit pricey to make it an every day dram. However if you've never gotten a chance to taste this expression and you enjoy the 10 yr old, don't pass up a chance to grab a taste of this!

Nose: honey, smoke, brine, spice, acidic orange. A coastal saltiness that reminds me of licking an oyster shell or smooth stone on the shore (who hasn't?)

Palate: subtle full fruit and honeysuckle dominate the entry, which gives way to a gentle peat. Light and clean.

Finish: medium finish with a balance of apple-orange sweetness and peat. Incredibly smooth, the alcohol is perfectly integrated.

With some water, more floral notes, along with yellow fruit and honey-suckle, appear. sweetness becomes more pronounced on the palate, but peat wins the finish. I've noticed that glassware with broad bowls tend to emphasize the sweetness in this -- more as a point of interest than anything else.

A few drams thanks to ryan and ygtbsm94. Lots of spiced apple pie with muted bacon and smoke. Thicker palate with some residual sweetness not present in a lot of Islay Scotches. Decently spicy finish with no real "heat" or burning. Very nice served neat. Excellent viscosity and legs along the glass. Really liked this one.

Sounds like a James Bond film title well yes perhaps but the first impression of this 18yo Talisker is that you are tasting something very special indeed...

More complex than the 10 yo (which by itself is an excellent Whisky) wow, this has soooo much going on... on the nose I'm finding layers of golden honey, marzipan, cinnamon, oranges, cardamon, cloves, brine, sun cream, the signature chili oil, nutmeg, new-oak, olive oil, walnuts and ginger...

The arrival is light fish/salmon-oil, chili-oil, ancient spices, rum-oak, cloves, pineapple with a ginger, sea weed and what I can only describe as a nice wasabi kick and ginger-garlic finish..... outstanding..

Drinking this, you truly feel like you have experienced Whisky nirvana, but it makes you realize how good the 10 yo is compared with other offerings similarly priced and positioned in the market.

Drink the 10yo as a weekly dram, the 18yo is is for a once a month tasting... otherwise too much of it and you'll be spoiled...

Talisker 18 Year Old was launched in 2004 and is currently not easy to find. I has a lot in common with the classic 10 Year Old, but is so much more subtle. Less in your face and rounder, calmer, but no less good.

While the salt and pepper are certainly present, this nose is a lot softer and sweeter. Honey, chocolate cookies with orange marmalade, ginger. The peat is there, but stays in the background. The sea breeze remains in the glass and doesn’t become a storm. Subtle, sweet nose!

Wonderfully sweet at the attack, immediately followed by a peppery bomb, as you can expect from Talisker. Very smokey, counterbalancing the fruitiness. Powerful mouthfeel. Great body. Damn, this is the good stuff!

The finish, like the nose, is subtle and sweet and allows the wood to speak at the end to finally die on liquorice and brine.

Man, oh man, this is a beautiful whisky. Much better than the already great Talisker 10. If you can still find it, don’t hesitate!

A year ago I visited a whisky seller who told me Talisker ran out of casks of the 18y; I would be quite lucky if I'd find one. Surprise, he had one more in his shop! He may be right about the casks, I'm not sure, but too bad for him and for me I couldn't afford it. A few months later, I found another bottle somewhere else. This time, I did have enough money. Am I glad.

Nose: Subtle peatiness on the nose with smoke seeping through. Sweet fruits, a little iodine and a bit spicey.

On the palate: It feels smooth, even a bit creamy/oily in the mouth. Spicey, peaty and burned fruits. All very well balanced. Warm, smokey and peppery finish, but surprisingly refreshing. Perhaps light-footed is a better word. The combination seems to change with every sip. Pleasant medium length aftertaste, but not a strongly present one.

A very, very nice whisky. The flavours seem to change in the glass, which makes it such an interesting malt. It's balanced, warming and smooth. I hope Talisker has plenty casks left!

Nose: moderate intensity, pleasant, perfumed, gentle fruits, honey

Taste: sweet pears, honey, some Talisker pepper, salt, light smoke. This is smooth, smooth, smooth! The silky and delicious delivery is still very relatable to the flavours of the Talisker 10 yo, only much more refined

Finish: rather long finish with a pleasant fade out ending with the characteristic Talisker black pepper and salt. The finish is not quite as lovely as the delivery, though

Balance: there is very nice interaction of flavours giving a well-balanced whisky. Try a taste of this one!

I have never tasted Talisker 18yr before. I stumbled across a Talisker three pack of 20cl bottles: 10yr, '92 Distiller's Edition, and 18yr. I am really excited about tasting these whiskies, as Talisker is a real crowd favorite.

Talisker 18yr is bottled at 45.8% ABV.

Nose: Much subtler than the 10yr. Much more Highland Park-esque. This is very elegant. More sea salt and less smoke than the 10yr. The soft fruity notes are developing slowly. Not too sweet, but more like a dull pear.

Palate: Mmmm! Fruity! Kind of like salt-water taffy. There is some smoke there, but not much.

Finish: There's the smoke! Nice... Ooh! And there's the sweetness coming through. Delicious!

This is very similar to Highland Park 18yr. The nose is not quite as fruity as the HP 18yr, but it develops slowly. Obviously the HP 18yr is sherried more than the Talisker 18yr, but it is still very nice. If the two whiskies were the same price, I think I would go with the HP 18yr. I think its combination of sweet smoke trumps the saltier and less sweet Talisker 18yr.

What a gift to the whisky world. The Talisker 18 year has become my new favorite single malt Scotch. I have been purchasing and sampling many different bottles. Some have been good to excellent while others are average at best.

I had some apprehension purchasing this bottle. Of the regions I have sampled, highland and speyside drams seemed to be the most in line to my taste. I had only sampled one Islay, a bottle of Lophroaig 15. Although it didn't taste bad, it had an overwhelming band-aid taste I could not escape. This stopped the purchase of another Islay for a few bottles. How foolish I was in that regard.

The nose on the Talisker was very woody and pearish with hints of smoke and Iodine. No essence overtook another which made for a pleasant balance.

The taste initially is very smoky and buttery with an undertone of fruit and iodine. The smoke is at the right balance and works within the (system). The iodine hints are also perfectly leveled and the warth is very pleasant.

I would say the finish is medium-long and warm. This is where the iodine exerts itself and the fruit and smoke settle into the back seat for a nice country drive.

My retailer had two bottles of this when I bought the first one. I have heard in some circles that the Talisker 18 is somewhat hard to come by. I think it is time for my first re-buy and secure his last bottle for future use. Top notch!!

On the nose: pipe tobacco, clean peat smoke, and brine balanced with a bit of rum cake, cinnamon,and a faint orange citrus quality.

Palate: A full, smooth, luscious body. It's sharp and strong to start with a little early sherry and burnt orange but this quickly turns to rich pipe tobacco, with a little ash. It has a nice peppery-spicy quality. There is peat here but less smoke than an Islay...more fire. Finishes medium long with an almost tingling mouth feel

This one, to me, changes a lot even through one dram. Occasionally quick hints of vanilla on the nose, and even bacon on the pala te. For all its complexity and unique "heat", the 18yr. old is incredibly well balanced smooth and easy to drink. A cold, rainy afternoon Scotch or shared with friends after a rich, winter meal.

Once I had completed my tasting of the four Lark malts, I saw the Talisker 18 on the shelf, and thought why not?

The smell is warm, filled with salt, peat, leather, smoke, and underlying hints of maple syrup. With water I start the maple syrup broadens, along with added iodine and good tobacco. Perfect for a cold winter evening.

The taste is a continuation of the nose. Salt, peat, leather, caramel notes. There is tobacco and and a hint of spice. The smokiness is of a clean burning dry wood fire. Very warm and savoury.

The finish is a long, slow burn. With gentle peat and smoke notes, and an initial spicy tingle.

This is a superbly balanced malt - if you could take the 10 year old and just tweak it slightly to be completely perfect - this is what you would get. Good for special occasions, and easy enough to be a daily dram (if you can afford it). I'm definitely going to be getting a bottle for my shelf at some stage!

I was first introduced to Talisker through the 10yr at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse which is now a favorite of mine (not really a steak eater but, because of business, I find my self at steakhouses a few times a month).

When I went to buy a bottle I figured that if the 10yr was so good, the 18yr had to be better. As many of you know, with whisky, age doesn't always matter.

While I do prefer the 10yr over the 18yr, I'm not going to do a comparative review. I will review the 18yr on it's own merits. I just thought, for those who like to find a bargain, you can save a good $20 sticking with the 10yr, if you so choose.

Nose: I found myself nosing this for quite some time. So nice and warm, almost savory. Some oak notes here too. Some peat, quite subdued however. Subtle fruits - overripe berries or spiced pear. Quite lovely. Kind of like when you go to the bakery during bake time, you just want to keep sniffing!

Palate: Warm & spicy. Toasted coconut, apple cake that has been re-heated in the toaster for too long and became slightly burnt (can't tell you how many times I've done crap like that), kind of peppery, honey glazed baked goods and burnt grass - hello peat!

Finish - Medium long with a bit more smoke. Oily coat. Some of the extra maturation can be tasted here - there's some nice oakiness which I only noticed on the nose.

This made me want to bulk up on carbs! A nice baguette with some oil...here I come!

The Talisker 18y is a warm and complex bottling of the Talisker distillery. It's not as rough as the 10y, but more warm and soft. The nose is sweet, it contains berries and toffee. And there are little traces of smoke, but not very much. But that emphasizes the origin of the Talisker, the Isle of Skye.

The body is really smooth and warm, soft, with notes of nuts and oil. There's nothing spurious or deflective. The completion is a typical Talisker palate. It's complex, full of spices, especially pepper, together with notes of leather. And it's long lasting and has the right strength you're expecting from a Talisker.

Nose: sweet and fruity. Peat smoke in the background. Chocolate coated orange. Vanilla. Flowery honey. Some marshmallows. Nectarine? Quite feminine for a Talisker if you ask me. Mouth: soft arrival, still rather sweet but getting a powerful, smokey kick after a few moments. Peppery with subtle peat. Getting drier on spices, with a bit of sherry burried somewhere underneath the smoke. Finish: classy development, soft and balanced. Vanilla and wood. Still some pepper.