Talisker 1999 Distillers Edition

I suppose it would have been wiser to introduce myself to Talisker via the signature 10 yo, but I seem to get less wise as I get older. Every time I stop to think, I forget to start again.

Actually, this was sort of an impulse buy. Every few months, I take an hour drive to a liquor "superstore" that stocks several goodies I can't get at the local shops. I figured I can get the 10 yo most anywhere, so I grabbed this one while I could.

This being my first Talisker, I can't compare it to Distillers Editions from other years. But my nose and palate tell me I picked a good 'un.

Nose: This one needs loads of time to open up. Right out of the bottle, all I get is a powerful whiff of old medicine with maybe a touch of peat. But what a difference a drop of water, a lid, and a 20-minute wait makes. The medicine has vanished completely, replaced by berries, sweet cream, and a dash of pepper. The sherry-cask influence plays a supporting role, but it's the one constant throughout. Some chocolate emerges after a few more minutes, and I'm getting some bacon around the edges. The peat is still there, but it's playing hide-and-seek. More time, more changes. Seashores, caramel, flower gardens...what a chameleon whisky, what a terrific nose! I haven't even tasted it yet, and I'm already satisfied that this was money well-spent.

Arrival: All the sweet notes mentioned above blast through the door and announce, "Let's party!"

Development: A dramatic and odd shift to pepper as the peat makes a fleeting return appearance. Somehow it works.

Finish: The only slight disappointment in the experience. Lasts long, but the best elements seem a little clipped. Some sweetness remains, but subdued by astringent and bitter notes. It's not unpleasant -- just a bit of a letdown after such a buildup.

Despite the mediocre exit, I'm not complaining. There's too much here to appreciate for this to be anything but a very rewarding experience. I suggest nosing the bejeezus out of it, then letting it dance around your mouth until its legs fall off.

Loses two points in the finish, and another two points for coloring and chill filtering. Why would they do this for a distiller's edition?

Yes, there's a few minor shortcomings, but this is one great whisky. I don't know how available this edition is any more. The store had one lone bottle of the 1999 edition among several 2000's, and I took a chance on the '99 and lucked out. I don't know if I'll ever finish the bottle. I want to keep a bit so I can nose it for years to come.

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