Talisker 08-year-old Diageo Special Releases 2021

Nose: maritime, smoke, vanilla, malt, green apple, pear, citrus note Palate: Malt sweetness, ash, vanilla, metallic, green apple, maritime, beginning chili heat Finish: short with full chilli catch, vanilla sweetness, smoke, maritime Rating: it's not wrong, but it's not good either. Maritime, smoke, vanilla and chili heat. Youth is clearly noticeable. The standard 10 is much better imho and doesn't even cost half as much as here... 83/100 or 5/10

Talisker 8 DSR, 2021, 59.7%, CS; aged in refilled, heavily peated barrels. Nose: lots of minerality, seaweed, sea salt over which smoke floats; mass of citrus, fresh pine and pine needles; very refreshing after accommodation; in the distance some sweet touches of vanilla and toffee. Tongue: strong proportion of minerals, seaweed and sea salt; sulfur; then clear vanilla and toffee, all with the participation of very delicate smoke and peat. Finish: long; tobacco, ash, leather, peat, and finally chewy toffees. To sum up: a very good position, with well-hidden alcohol, reminding me of Kilkerran HP, but with stronger, maritime climates. After adding a few drops of water, the position is smoothed, with a significant extension of the finish. Rating: 83.

Not a bad young peater, but disappointing when you consider it's a Diageo Special Release. I found it to be more like your average young peaty whisky with smoke and seawater than what I expect of Talisker. The expected tar, chili and honey are found on the palate, but I think the 2022 edition is better and I didn't find that one superb either.

In 2018, Diageo came up with an 8-year-old Talisker for the first time in the Special Releases (for 85 EUR) and that remains one of my favorites. In 2019 a 16-year-old followed and in 2020 again an 8-year-old (for 90 EUR). That is also the case this year, the so-called 'The Rogue Seafury'. Matured in what Diageo describes as 'heavily peated refill casks'. But in the meantime you’ll have to fork over 110 EUR for this. Isn't that a bit harsh for an 8-year-old, Diageo? Oh, what is this now? I know that Talisker is a bit maritime and even somewhat peaty, but also shows a lot of citrus and pepper and this Talisker does not really do that at all. Blindly, I would even rather think of Caol Ila or even Lagavulin. Seaweed, oyster juice, cooked ham and gyproc with a few Haribo bears in the background. Very interesting, but very atypical for Talisker (and I'm honestly not that happy with it). On the palate it is clearly very young. The citrus is now ubiquitous, but is drowned out by a bucket full of seawater. The pepper also tries to show itself, but the salt is just too dominant. The peat is also of Islay proportions again so I really don't feel like I have a Talisker in the glass. And if I may be honest: I tastes of little more than salt and peat. What a pity. The finish is very long, very warm, very salty and very smoky. Blindly, I would never have guessed this is Talisker. And it's very expensive for what you get.

It’s very simple and straightforward, and it’s not even like Teska’s young peat wind island wine.

Salt breeze. The spray whips the face, the foam licks the boots. Tons of iodine. Lemon vanilla drizzle. Nice smoky peat, but also very marine. Heather, lichen, mossy grass. Seawater. Kelp, seaweed. Oysters, boutargues, whelks. Crabmeat. With the addition of water, it's even more costal, it's very intense. On the palate, same profile, barrels of kelp, foam, seaweed, seawater. Then come the spices. Lumpfish eggs, sea urchins, brine. Finish that crushes everything in its path, very long, always well marinated and brined. A very strong wave which beats down on the coast, which wipes the beach. A little sand. Coal. Oak leaves, wood. This is exactly the kind of traffic jam that I love. Certainly well peated, but above all very costal, which highlights the distillate without abusing the influence of the barrels. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2022/03/talisker-8-yo-special-release-2021.html

This was a sample courtesy of Peatbogger. If I had payed £30 for this, absolutely fine, nothing ventured nothing gained. I probably wouldn't buy it again and stick to the ten. If I had payed some of these prices for it I would be gutted.

Cask strength is good. But needs water. Sweetness from the ex-Bourbon cask. Slightly light fruit and nicely salty. 10 more years in barrel would have been great well done. Half the bottle is enough for me I have shared out. Another one will not follow. I will open it again in winter. Then he will definitely get better grades.

very dissapointing for this price, lacks complexity and very immature, there are no distinct offnotes but its not a coherent experience. Maybe it can be fixed with some woodchips or blending in with something sherried

After an hour in the glass, the aroma fell apart; fuselage appeared, wet cardboard. The taste is sweet, peppery, quite good. Medium aftertaste, dead fire, mineral notes. Bottom line: the level of a three-year-old peat whisky is reminiscent of a much cheaper Torbhaig. Disappointing from Diageo.

Simple and one dimensionnal in a good way. Reminiscent of some good white rums or mezcals. I would like this as a "daily dram with a twist". At this price point you should expect more though.

A delightful rude and bold whisky. Brings me right out to the stormy shores of Skye. I know I should not mix the labre of canister design into the whisky review, and I have disregarded the design while rating the whisky. Yet, I would like to note that I love the design, and that I am more prone to pick up a bottle when the artwork is as amazing as it is on this whisky.

Really a delicious whisky, love it as a conclusion.

too rough

Non-chill filtered. Not coloured. Cask strength. Matured in heavily peated refill casks. Thick slowly forming primary legs. Mid-size slow secondary legs. Holds water well. Advanced level whisky.

Compared to Talisker in recent years, this version is not bad.

Powerful, clean, citric, vanilla - quite straight - water is recommended due to the high abv

Warm reviews from critics, coupled with the consistently high rating of Talisker 8yo from the 2018 Diageo Special Releases line, pushed me to expect and hope for future G8 releases ... In the 2020 release, I liked the design of the tube with the image of seaweed, but the contents of the glass, alas, did not cause any emotions. This year, I will not hide, some pretentiousness at the moment of opening the bottle also took place. On the fact of what happened, I can explain the following. I liked the tuba again, this time with a sea dragon emerging from Talisker Bay. Beneath the dragon is the life-affirming inscription "unbridled Scotch whisky, cheeky and salty." Below, the manufacturer notes that for the release of this release, he shook off cobwebs from barrels containing their smoky spirits. On the reverse side of the tuba there is a marketing legend and not a word is said about the combination of these same barrels. Although the pale straw color of the drink suggests that the sherry component is not present in this blend. Aroma. At first, the smoke started to tear my eyes and I preferred to retreat to the side of the refrigerator in order to refresh myself before plunging into myself "unbridled whisky". After 20 minutes, I returned to the glass. Tali's fresh sour-smoky recognizable profile, charcoal, prunes, a worn leather belt, and even for a second slipped Soviet Monpassier candies, those that were sold in a round tin can. Taste. From 59.7% abv, the receptor papillae slightly affected, the sensations were similar to those when you touch the tip of the tongue of the contacts of the Crohn's battery. With the second approach, the buckingness of the dragon Tolik faded a little and the scales began to tilt into the comfort zone. A few drops of water definitely softened the general perception and somewhere even some new semitones began to slip, but this did not last long, the drink continued to demonstrate its assertive simplicity and monosyllabicity with each subsequent approach. The aftertaste seemed long, apparently due to the increased strength, without frills, accompanied by general smoky anesthesia of the oral cavity. But what I really liked very much was the aroma of an empty glass, it reminded me of bread fried over a fire, which my friends and I ate up to heartburn as a child. Summing up this swim with a dragon, I again remembered Arshavin's brilliant statement about "your expectations are your problems." Nevertheless, in comparison with the previous eight of 2020, I found this one more interesting. I was not lazy and raised my archives. 2018 - 88 points, 2020 - 85 points (for some reason, there was a feeling that I overestimated then, a year ago), and I rated the current release at 86 points. Then he was not too lazy for the second time and looked at what his colleagues from the countries west of Kaliningrad wrote about him. All as one notes its simplicity and excessive dominance of smoke. Strange people, they could have gone to the refrigerator before ...

For this price an absolute cheek. Dozens of equally old or younger whiskys are immensely better (and cost significantly less). This Talisker is flat without end, there is little that reminds of Talisker and even less that makes a good malt. Every new make is better, they have at least a few rough edges. There is neither volume nor a hint of a longer finish, only the nose is somewhat pleasing. I only give the 80 because with the many more positive reviews I don't want to spoil the game, who might do the malt injustice with a bad day. But it's unlikely because I tried the Laga 12 afterwards and thought it was great. Sorry, Diageo, that's kidding to the power of ten.

This is a naked Talisker. Extremely naked. It comes out of the (freshly opened) bottle raw and immature, which might explain some of the more criticizing reviews here. But pour the whisky below shoulder level, and wait a few weeks, and it will develop into an addictively tasty and pure Talisker. It doesn’t even need much water, although I prefer to add quite a lot, myself. If you are a fan of cask-driven whiskies and all these modern 1st fill overcoats (finishings), this whisky is not for you. But if you can appreciate a fine distillate in all its glory, you might want to try this. Me, I’m just glad my bottle is more than half-full at this point and I also have a back-up bottle!

This is pure heavily peated Talisker distillate. Very little cask influence on display. Frankly, kudos to Diageo for releasing such a naked spirit. In a world of sherry “seasoning”, finishes, and a new trend of young bottlings that look more like cola than whisky, it’s refreshing to see. For me however, this is a bottle to try a sample of and move on. In the regard it serves its purpose. I feel this style can be had anytime for 1/3 the price. But if you want to see Talisker in it’s natural state, sure. That said it’s pretty flawless new spirit. A pretty cool way to experience Talisker and a worthy release I think. And since no one asked; I hate these new labels.

At least this year's release isn't some weird rum cask oddity. Somewhat balanced yet missing elements of the known Talisker. The distinctive profile is lackluster and diminished. Too young to be bottled, but that decision lies within Diageo.

I’m disappointed. The whisky certainly delivers on its premise: it’s by far the peatiest Talisker I’ve ever tried, at the same peat level as very strong Islays. It’s also the saltiest Talisker I’ve tried so far. It’s not a bad whisky, but instead of being richly complex and balanced like my favourite Taliskers, it’s just a peat+salt bomb and not much else besides. The salt and peat flavours seem exaggerated, almost grotesque. I guess that was the idea. It’s not all that far off from the inaugural Torabhaig to be honest, but with an oilier texture, much less sweet, and much more savoury. I honestly kind of expected not to love this, but it’s still a drag to have been right.

Not a highlight, but drinkable. In the blind tasting we initially found less smoke than we are used to from the Talisker, but later we did.

Manchester Whisky Club, 10th Anniversary tasting, January 2023. Wasn't a huge fan of this. It is a perfectly drinkable whisky but the heavily peated casks really detracted from the character of the distillery. Everything I like about Talisker was hard to find and in it's place was a young Caol Ila. Again, not unpleasant but not what I would have hoped for. High octane so added water which brought out the smoke a bit more but little complexity. At such a premium price point I would have been disappointed.

12.05.2022: The case when the whisky is young and that's what it takes. Expressive and powerful, yet collected and consistent. Branded spices and peppers in all their glory.

Strong ex-bourbon feel. Slight metallic notes. Compared to the alcohol content, it is soft and has a good smoky flavor.

I compared the 2021 (wb id:186598) and 2022 (wb id:218146) Diageo Special Releases Talisker. It's okay to try, but I probably won't repurchase it. The 2021 8 is much worse than the 2018 bottling, both in quality and price.

Looking at other reviews, so will give it an 84. Something not right about the finish. Has the right amount of peat. Should be better in terms of distillery character. Some Diageo outputs are spectacular. This isn't .

w zapachu mocno cytrusy, ale taki kwasek cytrusów, w smaku kwaśne

There is the sea, salt, and smoke. But there is also rough, "uncouth" youth. 21-21-21-21

Aside from the potentially controversial DMS on the nose, it has no other flaws and is surprisingly not aggressive. It's not an insult to Talisker like other Diageo bottlings. It's worth the price, but it doesn't perform well enough to warrant a backup. It's decent. Price-performance ratio: Average-good, Average Would I buy it again?: It was good to try, but it's not worth backing up.

[November, 2021] Of course I am way too curious about this "simple, abstract and terrific" dram as to let it pass untested... ...and I can fully confirm Serge's tasting notes with respect to its "very simple" style. This Talisker is nothing else than another heavily peated pre-mature dram like all the other heavily peated young stuff out there. To me they all taste the same because there are hardly any aromas or flavours to recognise beside their massive wall of peat. If you love extreme peat you will love this dram, most probably. But until now Talisker stood for a completely different profile (complex, balanced and delicate) hence this dram is not a Talisker to me. So maybe Diageo is jealous on the success of Bruichladdich's Octomore and Port Charlotte bottlings? To me this edition smells and tastes like a cheap version of these (much more interesting) heavily peated legends.

Simple but enjoyable malt, drinks surprisingly easy for such a high ABV. I could see myself regularly drinking this if it wasn't for the outrageous price

Nose: For me it is more like Islay New Make. Intense smoke, most likely coal smoke. Karamalt. Grain. Mouth: Slight sweetness of malt in the beginning, very ashy in the mouth. Extremely one-dimensional with malt sweetness and smoke. Finish: Long, smoke and ashes 82/100 Conclusion: I have now tasted the whisky three times. The same impression every time - an extreme malt, minimalist. I like that with young smokers when there is something besides smoke and malt, like citrus fruits or marine impacts. I miss that here.

So this is a real smoke massacre. No smooth tones like in the previous year. Here it is simply a nostril without warning. Taste very intense, spicy, rough. I would hardly believe that this is Talisker. Tony lemon, honey, grass, malt, spices

It's nice, when a whisky meets a relatively inactive cask, and the long maturation will shows you a spirit driven malt whisky. It's also could be nice if there is an active cask and it works together with the spirit, and you get a nice dram even the whisky is young. But inactive cask and 8 years? Even if it's bottled at cask strength, it could not solve everything even we have a very nice spirit.

Smells like iodine, but that's weird I think the scent is much weaker compared to ragabulin. Feeling like a mixture of iodine and sea scent? It seems a little closer to the smell of the sea.

very spicy

Inconsequential stuff, bottled too young. Nothing special or Talisker about it

This juice shouldn't have been bottled just yet. Harsh, feinty, immature distillate, very disappointing.

It may be technically good, therefore a relative good note, but I did not enjoy it too much. Sharp, immature, nervous. Lemons, ginger, chocolate-sweetness and some halfway nice woody notes (balsa). Quite heavy peat and white-wine-y finish. Lacks the Talisker character that even the 10 usually has, could just as well be an immature Caol Ila or even Lagavulin from the Classic Of Islay series. Add to this a horribly cheesy comic-monster design and a price too expensive, and it's 2 leagues below the great 2018 8 years old. Technically still better than the usual too sweet and weirdly finished average stuff of today.

A very peaty but too young talisker. No interest.

Oily, peppery, some citrus, lots of peat. On opening this smelled overpoweringly like tequila, so much so that I put it back on the shelf for a further month before trying it again, by which time the nose had settled down and it smelled and tasted more like what I expected from an islands peated Scotch. This whisky is not without some reward, but for my taste it is too young, with the peat dominating the oak and the island characters being a little disjointed. It's also too expensive for what it is, in my opinion. The art work on the label and carton is commendable - similar to Roger Dean's art work for the album covers of Yes in the 1970s, being well executed and a commendable break with tradition without losing relevance. It is perhaps the most note-worthy aspect of this dram. This is definitely interesting, and to be fair is a special release, but it comes at a price that for me is too high for what you get.

Ridiculously dry. Almost no sweetness. The smoke/peat feels artificial. Like the spirit has been put into Ex Caol Ila casks. Enjoyable but there’s far better editions of Talisker and far better whiskies for the same price.

Color: light straw

Aroma - cold medium smoke, sea salt, mineral, vanilla, and maybe some light fruits. Taste - smoky, sweet, creamy vanilla, white fruits, white pepper, light green veg juice. Finish - long, salty, smoky, vegetal. Nice young smoky salty dram

A great example of how good and complex is the new make from Talisker. I wish all the special releases were at least as good as this one. It just lacks a bit of mouthfill and length in the finish to get 90 points. Notes taken neat, well integrated alcohol on the nose and palate.

Color: very light, almost white. Aroma: hay, vanilla, dust, slightly alcoholic. Smoke appears over time. Taste: prickly, sweet and sour, slightly smoky, candy-like. With the addition of water, the taste becomes softer and more sweet and sour, with a slight smokiness. Finish: long, but not surprising given the alcohol content. Conclusion: young, strong, and under-aged whisky. Very weak casks. Very young.

Overall, while it's not a "wow" whisky, I can say that they've married sweetness and bitterness in this bottle, and their offspring are notes of sea salt, minerals, dried green grass, and seaweed – notes of the sea and coast. :) Despite its very high alcohol content, it doesn't give you a pure alcohol sensation on the palate. While there's some burning in the nose, it's not undesirable. It's a young, fierce, very bitter, and equally sweet whisky. It might not be for everyone, but those with strong palates will enjoy it.

Nose: A nice stride on the beach with wood fires nearby, or as we often call those: “Coastal” – not something you don’t come to expect from a Talisker, right? It’s got a briny touch to it, with earthy peat and soot, as well as remnants of ash, and a sprinkle of black pepper – Talisker DNA all over. Quite young and ‘bare’ no sherry and not a lot of wood, but enough to balance the peat/soot/ earth with vanilla biscuits, and hints of icing sugar along with minerality and damp oak. Further nosing reveals a fruity touch as well, that hides behind the earthy peat and Seabreeze. Palate: Quite an entry! I am getting a lot of sweet cotton candy, then immediately it becomes smoky and spicy with vegetal notes, licorice, and aniseed, salty chocolate, and more earth, soot with a leafy/green touch, there’s also some saltiness and maritime / minerality but on the backdrop. Finish: coastal, with Seabreeze, distant smoke, and earthy peat goes on a fairly long time. Conclusion: A nice young-ish, peaty, and brute Talisker, even if not ultra complex, but at 8 years old, this delivers what it promises to be, the 2nd peatiest of the bunch, and certainly a nice example of feisty Talisker pepper earth and peat alongside maritime notes.

I can't think of too much about this bottling. Peat, smoke, sweet malty notes, a bit of pepper, that's it. For me personally much too expensive for what it delivers. I wonder what raison d'être such a malt has as a special release? But I'm not a whisky connoisseur either.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to taste, but the hate and confirmation bias this expression received really puzzled me, and I beg to disagree. Surprisingly peaty, briny and mineral, the nose features an intriguing mix of lime juice, aniseed and herbal teas. Sugary and vanilla-driven at first, the palate progresses with white pepper, crisp apples and bitter lemon. Ashy peat smoke, salt and a touch of chili arise, leading all the way into the long and interesting finish. This is a characterful and complex whisky emphasizing everything Talisker stands for! RATING: 4.2/5.0 stars ≙ 89 pts → FIRST-CLASS [+]

I can't understand the low ratings here in any way. For me, this is an outstanding whisky that is able to show the basic character of Talisker like no other. A Chilly Catch at its best. Enormous smoke that harmonizes perfectly with the bourbon cask. Salty-sweet with vanilla and pepper. The whole carried by a wonderful cask strength. The youthful lightness suits him wonderfully. He is wild and stormy. And yet at the same time it flatters the tongue with its elegant sweetness. And then some seriously give 30 points here. A madness. I'm not a fan of the Diageo Special Releases. But it's just awesome!

Was very tasty, didn't bother me to drink a bottle of it, but it didn't have to be. Smoky, brute Talisker, that's what I expected and it delivers. No more, no less.

84/86/85/85

Blind / 2 days after 2nd try.

Your really need to like your whisky "close to the raw material" to enjoy this one. I don't.

A lip puckering combination of sour peat and lemon. That Talisker peppery note is there, but not at the fore. The peat is more aggressive than what is typically seen for a Talisker. Probably my least favourite of the four special release Taliskers I’ve had so far and I’ve grown a little tired of it as I slowly make the way down to the heel of the bottle.

This time I tried the Special Releases 2021 samples. Three times, the first time half-blindly, because I knew it was from SR 2021. The order finally crystallized for me as follows: 1. Lagavulin 12yo - 90 points 2. Singleton of Glendullan 19yo - 87 points 3. Talisker 8yo - 86 points 4. Oban 12yo - 84 points 5. Mortlach 13yo - 82-83 points 6. Cardhu 14yo - 81 points 7. Royal Lochnagar 16yo - 75 points After the first tasting, it's clear Caol Ila. That is, if I didn't know that Caol Ila is usually only Unpeated in Special Releases. So I guessed Talisker, but an atypical one - the influence of heavily peated barrels is simply and clearly visible. Nicely integrated alcohol that doesn't sting significantly, even though it's an eight-year-old whisky. I quite enjoyed it.

Maritime, quite spicy, In my opinion its some later refill bourbon, a lot of smoke as on Talisker, citrus zest, very correct but no to compare with DSR 2018

Super whisky! It is true that at the beginning of my contact with this drink (the smell), it was at best good, but not outstanding, the rest of it is without any inconvenience. First of all, we have a sweetness bomb with very fruity accents (I like that). A nice, wonderful and pleasant whisky with a finish that would seem to slightly spoil the whole thing at the very beginning, only to explode after a while and show all its great qualities. I am enchanted with this whisky and I am glad that I bought it. One little point on my part. Drink original, do not add water !!!

Finally the first dealer (Berlin Bottle) to offer it at a reasonable price of 79.99 euros. From 150 euros value of goods then with free shipping, i.e. with 2 bottles. I ordered 3 bottles right away.

scbp-2162, almost call it Talisker new-filling malt. Unusually young whiteboard spirit, why not hang a basket of blueberries, pineapple, or even a ham in the still.

Very balanced. The smoke mixes with the sweet nuances and leaves you wanting more

Just a good, straight forward, peated island whisky. The name Special Release starts to diminish quite a lot. For example, it seems that the stories are gaining in importance, and the whisky is of secondary importance. All fine, those beautiful artworks on the bottle and tube, but I'm sitting here with an overpaid whisky in the glass. I'm not unhappy as I like young peaters, but this edition was not as exciting as the previous 8 year olds from 2018 and 2020.

The whisky world is divided. Is this now the purest and purest and therefore the most excellent form of Talisker? Or just laziness and greed for money throwing a peaty “new make” onto the market at an inflated price at the age of 8? I cannot resolve the controversy. What I can safely say is that I've never had a Talisker this peated before. And: I tasted it twice and was satisfied each time. So I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. Full review, alongside six other whisky from the islands: https://keinehalbendrinks.de/2022/01/26/whisky-island-teil-2/

A piece of heavily salted steak, cooked smoked and medium rare that is oily, savoury and smoky to the palate, unapologetic in its youthful punch. Sumptuous to the extent that it needs to be measuredly savoured, after it is respectfully rested.

Oxidization helped this one a lot. Last dram of the bottle was probably the best. As it often is the case ;) Quite delicious sipper three years later. Nose is smoky sweet, much nicer then when opened. Some light wood and peat, bit of banana. Beautiful clean bourbon matured peaty nose. Taste brings pear, peat, some light tropical notes, a bright and sparkly tune. Strong whisky. Some dirty notes if you keep it in the mouth long enough. Amazing roller coaster of evolving flavours. Finish is very nice. Peaty, salty, seaweedy, bit sweet as well. Actually a very nice example of a young bourbon matured peater. Damn, why wasn't this one as good when freshly opened! Upped the rating with 5 full points, original rating was heavily influenced by it's steep price and neck pour it seems! Great dram.

Simple and pungent, the bad kind.

Normal

One of the smokiest Talisker with a lot of cowshed!

On the nose it is smokier than normal Taliskers, then come hints of sea water, algae, iodine, saltiness, oysters, chalk and sweet notes of vanilla and sponge cake. Palate: Very clean, sharp,. Very clear notes of peat, smoke, bonfire on the beach, then pepper, lemon juice, brine and heather. Finish: long, consistent with the palate...really good, wins hands down compared to last year's.

Peat smoke, citrus, dried orange peel, malt, pepper. Masty, malty sweetness, piquant, one-dimensional, good start, strong body, medium intensity.

Uh, tasted this one blind and is certainly a very puristic bottling without complexity. You have to like this style though

Worst Talisker I've ever drank. Distillate, smoke sugar. Nothing else

For all those expressing disappointment; get over it and get used to it. In stead of Diageo's Annual Special Release, think of it more as Diageo's Annual Oddballs. I'm not a huge Talisker fan. I got a bottle of 10 which I've had for years, because I find it nothing more than OK. And if anyone expected something close to the 10 I can understand the disappointment. But come on, this is "Sea Fury", the 10 is "Island in the stream".

Very bright colour. Between straw and colorless.

(TASTED BLIND) NOSE: Rich, sweet peat smoke, maritime notes, smoking pipe tobacco, walnuts, old salty ropes, old wood cabinet, leather armchair. With time even more leather, tobacco leaves and hessian. (91-92p) TASTE: The arrival is sweet, peaty and a bit minty. On the mid palate smoke, salt, tarr, dry liqorice powder, salty brine. (89p). FINISH: Freshly crushed black pepper, chili, liqorice, star anise, dry old tobacco. Cocoa, dark chocolate. Long aftertaste. (89p). OVERALL: A mature Islay whisky, possibly Caol Ila? Total score 89 (90) points.

N: Lemon zest, coastal, slightly peaty, honey, vanilla P: Smoky, sharp, sour, lemon F: Fresh, lemon, mushroom, medium length

Blind tasting

Peat smoky nose, ok, and we also have freshness and delicious salt, sea, and not enough pepper. And there is already pepper in the taste, and that's good! Peated casks? Ok, thanks for the experiment, it was quite interesting! 21+ 21 20 21 83+

The first impression is quite good, and better than I expected. Young, sweet, floral and quite aggressive in the nose. Then ash, coal, saltine crackers, sea breeze, dry grass. The taste is simply as peppery and spicy as possible. Burns the mouth incredibly. And then a significant failure. The finish is spicy and sweet, without any development. Overall a strange feeling. It's not bad, but you won't taste it, and you wouldn't drink it every day

Aroma: Salty sea spray, brine-soaked driftwood, with a gentle hint of lemon rind and distant peat smoke.· Palate: A sweet arrival of heather honey and shortbread, quickly followed by a wave of black pepper, ash, and smoked almonds.· Finish: Long and warming, with the smoke fading to a pleasant, dry oaky tannin.

I had low expectations but was pleasantly surprised. I bought it on sale for around 80 euros back then and I thought it was really good – which I unfortunately can't say about the current Talisker special releases.

Buy again? No Recommend? No (to people who don't like peat or smoke) Drink if offerd? No

Nose: lemon, some alcohol, cooling Mouth: Chili ????, sweetness, nice smoke in the background Finish: Sweet, always chili, light coffee note, medium length, cooling from the alcohol Conclusion: simpler, but clearly structured, whisky ... too easy for the price - in my opinion

Very heavily peated for a Talisker, straight as a arrow like most of those Laga 12 cs bottlings. No-nonsense malt which imho is better than last year's failed attempt of a rum cask finish but also does not reach the 2018 version of the 8 in terms of oomph, good cask influence and overally complexity and quality. Very naked malt from great distillate, however in such a combination not worth more than maybe 70 EUR nowadays. Any (old or new) version of Laga 12 cs beats this one out of the water on any given day. And since this one unfortunately, while being peatier, does not have the famed white pepper/chilli catch finish, a good version of the 10 easily stands toe to toe with this one, if not for power, for complexity and overall quality. An impressive entry, but lacks the it-factor. Try before you buy.

Color: Light white wine (blanc de blanc) The peatiness is lovely and delicate. I love it. A perfect whisky for peatheads.

More heavily peated, more briney and less peppery than usual. Almost like an Islay whisky. Good but not what I look for in a Talisker.

8 somehow it’s not my thing at all, the aroma of sandalwood, leather, is very similar to rum, it’s just as hard to drink, I added water twice to start drinking it.

The overall feeling is average. I don't like the salty and fishy taste of sea water, but the aftertaste is quite comfortable. The vanilla cream in the latter part is very persistent. It feels slightly more seawater-flavored than last year's 2020sr Talisker 8.

Quite complex and diverse for eight years

A young, assertive whisky, with the distinct signature qualities of the Talisker distillery. Not overly complex, but delicious. The strength accentuates its strengths.

Initially I was a bit underwhelmed, found it a bit generic. Now after its been open a few weeks and with a good bit of water it has won me over and is starting to really come into its own.

The current developments at Talisker make me frown. The abolition of the beloved 57 ° North and here now a bottling that almost corresponds to the horror factor of the label image. Almost outrageous to bottle something at this stage of maturity, especially at this enormous issue price.

Coastal peat, citrus, vanilla, very sharp, does the job, very nice

refill American oak- heavily peated Nose: egg custard, wholegrain mustard, honeyed ham, table salt with vanilla, Swizzels Double Dip, Werther's Originals Palate: seasalt kettle chips, salted caramel and seltzer water Finish: banana chips and crunch creams With water Nose: sherbet pips, maple leaf, chewing gum, pickled watermelon rind and banana skin Palate: coconut ice and fondant icing, fizzers Finish: dried pineapple and tapioca pearls Tasted as part of Southport Whisky Club Christmas Diageo Special Releases tasting

Not outstanding, especially in view of the price, but also not as bad as its sometimes bad reputation. A powerful, wild, young Talisker. A slightly longer ripening period would certainly have done that well. Unfortunately not really convincing at the price.

Obviously young, but very well-knit and perfectly balanced whisky, solid with a pronounced character, a good palette of derivatives and some depth is already present, on the whole a pleasant, classic peaty release.

Very earthy and vegetal. Nice smokey character but its too young.

Great young smoker, period!

Not a bad malt, but quite simple. Things like that are a dime a dozen.

Aroma: salty, smoky: sea breeze, coals, mackerel, Vishnevsky ointment, bandages and even a little burnt rubber - all kinds of smoke from Islay here, but in whisky from the Isle of Skye. Bright citrus acidity is also in the foreground (lemons), followed by allspice. 22 Palate: Buttery, salty and brightly smoky, with smoked fish, lemon zest and red pepper. 21 Aftertaste: bright, long, warming, completely repeating the taste. 21 Balance: 22 Total: 86

I like this, very peat, very oceanic, full of personality. In a young year, the wine shows unparalleled diffusion and layering, a perfect show-off wine.

Unusual intriguing edition. Pure distillate, sort of smoked grappa Much more peated than usual Talisker

Diageo is the most successful release of this series. Youth is not felt, dense enough, soft peat not bulging, light sweetness. Sufficiently drinkable at high strength. 22-22-22-22

It is difficult to call this release successful. Much smoke and immaturity

Damn, Diageo folks do know how to sell New Make for 100 eurobucks a bottle

Fortunately only one sample ... I like Talisker very much, but what Diageo is offering here for 100 euros borders on a cheek. The 10 standard is worlds better ... The whisky is bubbly and still reminiscent of Newmake ...

Is this a whisky, or a whisky flavoured salt-lick? Aside from the whopping amount of salt, there's lemon meringue, a hint of black and white pepper, and a hint of agave. The ABV mixes well and is non-obtrusive. As a comparison: Talisker 10 = 86 Talisker 10 Distiller's Ed. 2008-2018 = 86.5 Talisker 8 2020 = 86.5 Talisker 8 2021 = 84 Talisker 11 2022 = 87

Good, But not on par with the OB Taliskers

Lacks the depth, warmth, balance and complexity of the OB 18 in direct comparison. Slightly makes up for this by the abv. More punch. Delivers the house style of Talisker quite pleasingly. Nice, but not spectacular.