Talisker 14 years old - Cadenhead’s - Authentic Collection - 64,3 %
Picture taken somewhere in Stuttgart
It took us exactly 0,1 seconds to think before we decided to purchase this wee opened, super rare bottle the moment we saw it at Max Righi's stand at Limburg Whisky Fair. Besides terrific spiritis we met even more terrific folks there. Distilled in 1979, so Pre-Diageo.
Nose
Brillant...Flowers and seaspray. What's not to adore about this elegant and maritime scent?! But the seaspray is not as bold as we know it from modern expressions. More subtle and integrated. Wet hay in autumn. So kind of a farminess with its lovely slight dirtiness. Chamomille blossoms, cedar wood, myrrh and acacia honey bring more elegance to the table. Wet, rotten wood planks at the harbour send their regards from Skye. Fresh vanilla dough and pure oxygen. Rough elegance would be the underline. Let's taste it, shall we?
Palate
The first sip is to die for. Seriously. It's super powerful, rich and compressed like a diamond. Lemons. Grapefruits (yellow). Brine. Bright honey sweetness. Finest swiss pine oil. Mineralic, crushed rocks (obviously). It's actually closer to some Ex-Bourbon Springbanks than to the modern Taliskers. Because it matured in Campbeltown warehouses perhaps? A wonderful peaty dirtiness is also on board. The mouthfeel and texture are creamy and silky and the alcohol is so perfectly integrated. 64,3%, Really?
Finish
Grapefruits and lemons, lemons and grapefruit. A mantra one could repeat for an hour long meditation (whisky meditation so to speak). The slight citrus bitterness is accompagnied by a wonderful driness.
Rating
This isn't just right up our alley, but sits on top of it. Once again a wonderful demonstration that Talisker is king at (relatively) young age. Refill Ex-Bourbon casks, a brillant distillate and time, and you're in for a perfect whisky. Semper et ubique.
