Talisker 1982 - 20 y/o - 58,8%
Photo taken somewhere in Stuttgart
If you thought that we've reached the end of our journey through Talisker's history, we have to disappoint you. Our next station is a 20 year old bottling from 1982. So we are faced with roughly the same distilling period of the old Ten we've recently had, but with longer maturation and a full proof abv. We expect some coastal fireworks!
Nose
Imagine yourself standing on an old pier on a cold November day, holding a cup of hot english mint tea in your hand and smoking a cigarette while facing rough weather. There is a heavy smell of wet ropes and seaweed with fresh and salty seaspray splashing from the planks. You can also smell the wet rocks, pure oxygen and a hint of cold cigarette ashes. That's terroir, ladies and gents.
With water: Now we took shelter in the nearby port taverne and are welcomed with fresh baked bread and salted butter, green olives, honeyed milk and a warm massage with pure camphor oil. Big time treatment!
Palate
Not all treasure is silver and gold mate, but this is a gem! It's bloody intense, oily and heavy like a cargo ship. We get a sweetness of roasted honey spiced with black and white pepper. This is also served with fresh and salty oysters, pickled with splashes of bitter lemons and grapefruits. So far amazing.
With water: Honey multiplied by two. The pepper intensity even increased, which is a curious development. Frankly, there's no water required here.
Finish
An endless song of grapefruits, bergamott oil and lemons, with the finest Earl Grey tea you can find at Fortnum & Mason. Simply superb! The additional years really lent greater depth and length to the finish.
Rating
First statement: the best #talisker we had till date. Based on the profile we are close to the Ten from the 90's, but with much more intensity and expression at all levels. No fancy cask finish, just pure refill taliskerness. Second statement: Considering the heavy price tag, we cannot help but praise the stellar 8 year old from 2018 again, which is just one point behind and available at a fraction of the 1982's cost. Just saying.
