Scotch Whisky Review #380: Talisker 30 Year Diageo 2010 Special Release

Distillery: Talisker.

Region: Island.

Age: 30 Year. Bottled August 2010.

ABV: 57.3%. Cask Strength.

Price: Pour courtesy of /u/KissMeElon.

Color: 1.1, Burnished.

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Nose: It’s a fantastic combination of salt, pepper, and smoke. It’s the maritime, sea-side kind of saltiness that you expect from Talisker. The smoke isn’t overly aggressive though it is a touch spicy. Following it all comes a lovely toffee note and some wood varnish.

Palate: Just like the nose suggests, the first notes out of the gates are smoke and some salty sea air. The smoke is more closure to the type you can get off of some smoked deli meats. That leans directly into a note that reminds me of charcuterie board meats, nice and salty. Orchard fruits follow in the background along with golden raisins. With water, a note that reminds me of Fig Newtons takes center stage, so strong that I can almost feel the “grit” of the fig filling on my tongue. Champagne grapes finish things up.

Finish: Long. Smoke, though this time with a bit of ash, is one of the main notes. Salted meats and Fig Newtons wrap things up.

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Conclusion: For most of the second half of 2021, I found myself reaching for and ordering Talisker more than I had ever before. The combination of maritime notes with some smoke and some fruit just kept scratching an itch I hadn’t even known I had before. When /u/KissMeelon brought out this older release of Talisker 30, I couldn’t help but be excited. And boy did it deliver. The nose is so distinctly Talisker in nature, you get sea salt with a bit of smoke, none of which being too aggressive or too passive. The palate follows up on that, giving you some deliciously savory and salty notes in the form of smoked deli and charcuterie meats. The Fig Newton note that comes through with a bit of water adds a sweet and slightly earthy element that just balances the smoke and salt incredibly well. The finish does more of the same and gives a tinge of ash to help clean up some of the residue and leave you wanting for more. Fantastic dram and one I am incredibly happy to have tasted!

Final Score: 93.

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Scotch Whisky Review #380, Island Review #56, Whisky Network Review #534

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Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.