Review / Talisker Surge

This whisky is a new core range product from the Talisker distillery on the western isle of Skye. Talisker Surge will be a travel retail exclusive. The new whisky is designed to show the elemental stormy forces that shape Skye and the Talisker distillery. Surge features whiskies of differing ages that have been matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks. The travel retail exclusive will be available in UK airports from September, before being released in Asia during October and Australia in December. There will also be a Talisker sample bar located in Terminal 5 at London's Heathrow Airport during October and November. Talisker Surge is bottled at 45.8% ABV and will cost £85/ €95/ $115 US per bottle.

Review / Talisker 44 years old : Forests of the Deep

This whisky is the latest release from the famous Talisker distillery from the isle of Skye. It is their oldest ever single malt to date. The Talisker 44 years old : Forests of the Deep is a partnership with ocean conservation charity Parley For The Oceans.  The collaboration saw wooden staves from Talisker whisky barrels taken on a research trip to kelp forests located off the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. 

The staves were then returned to Talisker and casks reconstructed before being 'marine charred'. This involved toasting the inside of the barrels with dried seaweed smoke. The whisky, which had previously been maturing for over four decades in ex-bourbon casks, was then finished for a few months in these special maritime barrels. For further information on the work Parley For The Oceans do or to donate - click here. 

Review / Torabhaig Allt Gleann

The Allt Gleann is just the second ever single malt release from Torabhaig (pronounced tora-vaig), the newest distillery on the isle of Skye. This follows the inaugural Legacy Series 2017 bottling that was released earlier this year in February and sold out immediately. Allt Gleann, meaning 'old glen' in Gaelic, is the second of four planned releases for 2021 and 2022 in The Legacy Series. The new whisky has been created from just 30 first-fill and re-fill ex-bourbon barrels that were distilled and filled in 2017. It is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. Torabhaig Allt Gleann is available from the distillery shop and via selected specialist whisky retailers. A bottle will cost £50.

Review / Talisker Xpedition Oak 43 years old

This new whisky is the oldest ever single malt to be released by the Talisker distillery from the Scottish isle of Skye. The Talisker Xpedition Oak 43 years old has been created from just 10 casks, with all being filled in the late 1970s. These have yielded just 1,830 bottles in total - a reference to the year that the distillery was founded. The whisky was finished for a short period in casks made from oak staves that travelled 3,264 miles across the Atlantic Ocean on the yacht of explorer James Aitken when he was taking part in The Atlantic Challenge. A piece of stave is included within the each presentation box.

Review - Talisker 8 years old Hepburn's Choice

This new whisky forms part of a set from the independent bottler, blender and whisky producer of Hunter Laing & Co. It also kicks off a major rebranding for their Hepburn's Choice range of single malts. The redesign is inspired by Managing Director Stewart Laing's maternal grandfather, William Hepburn and his travels around the world in the Diplomatic Service in the 1960s. New features include colour coding to show the Scottish region of origin and large graphic numbers to show age. The label and box also feature cask details such as filling date, botting date, cask type and the number of bottles yielded. All of this is packaged within a box showing a new smart grey livery and graphic touches.

 

Distillery Visit - Talisker

The distillery of Talisker is located in the village of Carbost on the rugged Hebridean island of Skye. Talisker is a Viking word translating as 'sloping rock' and is named after Talisker Bay, which is about five miles away. The distillery was founded in 1830 by the MacAskill brothers and they were from the nearby island of Eigg. They purchased the land as it was cheap - this was because it was not good for farming. The village of Carbost was built at the same time as the distillery and the houses used for distillery workers.

Review - Talisker Neist Point

The Neist Point is a new single malt from the famous Talisker distillery on the isle of Skye and is exclusive to the travel retail sector.  It joins the fellow travel retail exclusive Dark Storm expression. Talisker is located on the isle of Skye, the largest and most northerly island of the Inner Hebrides. It is the only distillery on the island and is found close to the village of Carbost, in the shadow of the imposing Cuillin hills.  This new permanent release is made from a selection of rare casks of different ages - all are made from American oak and most are refill casks.  It is named after the most westerly point of Skye, which is home to the Neist Point lighthouse. 

Review - Talisker Skye

Talisker Skye is the latest whisky in the core range from the popular single malt distillery from the Scottish Isle of Skye. The whisky is created in homage to the rugged landscape and wild seas that surround the island distillery with tastes of fresh citrus, sweet smokiness and the maritime influence which is a signature of Talisker whiskies. This expression is constructed using toasted and refill American oak casks that are hand selected by Diageo's Master Blenders. It sits within the range consisting of Storm and Port Ruighe as the lighter, fresher and most citrusy of the series, but with an extra edge of sweetness compared the 10 year old thanks to the selection of a slightly higher proportion of toasted casks. Skye is bottled at 45.8% ABV and will be available in Spring 2015. The anticipated recommended retail cost will be £33.

New release - Talisker Triple Matured Edition

This whisky is one of the first of a new Triple Matured series released by Diageo. There will be five single malts in the series and they will be exclusively available to members of their Friends Of The Classic Malts group. Two are being released now - this from Talisker on the isle of Skye and one from Royal Lochnagar in the east Highlands, which we reviewed a couple of days ago (click here to read that) - and the other three will be announced and released in stages over the next six months or so.

New release - Talisker Dark Storm

This is a new single malt that has been released as an exclusive for the travel retail sector.  The Talisker Dark Storm is the sibling to the recently released Talisker Storm, which has already gained many plaudits and good reviews (click here to read our review of that). The difference is that Dark Storm has been matured in heavily charred oak casks, which adds an extra intensity and spiciness, and it is being marketed as the smokiest ever single malt from the iconic distillery.

New release - Talisker Port Ruighe

The popular Talisker distillery has released its second new expression of 2013 - Talisker Port Ruighe (pronounced port-ree). This whisky is named after the town and port on the isle of Skye, where the distillery is located.  It has been matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, before then being finished in ex-Port wine casks. The Port Ruighe is to become part of the regular core range and is bottled at 45.8% ABV.  It is available now from specialist whisky retailers for £55-60 a bottle.

New release - Talisker Storm

Talisker Storm is a new whisky in the core range of the popular single malt distillery from the isle of Skye. The new expression is designed to be a more intense, smoky version of Talisker with enhanced vibrant maritime notes working in conjunction with hot sweetness. The Storm is designed to sit in the price point between the regular 10 years old and the Distillers Edition in the range, and has been matured in 'rejuvenated casks'.