Talisker 8 Year Old Special Release 2020
Talisker · Talisker Distillery
This younger Talisker at cask strength strips away polish to reveal the distillery's raw coastal DNA. The 8 years are enough to add complexity without taming the wild character that makes Talisker essential. An uncompromising dram for those who appreciate spirits with edges.
Nose
Immediate brine and black pepper, followed by smoky embers and a surprising sweetness of peach and honey. A maritime quality runs through every breath, like sea spray on volcanic rock.
Palate
Muscular and direct, with peat smoke wrapping around a core of malt sweetness and dried fruit. The cask-strength delivery amplifies clove spice and a bracing coastal minerality that defines Skye's character.
Finish
Long and warming, with lingering smoke, cracked pepper, and a final whisper of vanilla that softens the edges.
- Region
- Islands (Skye)
- Cask Type
- Refill American Oak Hogsheads
- Peat Level (PPM)
- 25-30
- Distillation
- Double distilled in copper pot stills with worm tub condensers
- Maturation
- Refill American oak hogsheads
- Chill-Filtered
- Non-chill filtered
Food Pairing
The smoky, briny character of the whisky finds its mirror in charred octopus, while the peach and honey notes complement a nutty, piquillo pepper romesco sauce.
Distilled on Skye's western shore where Atlantic gales batter the warehouse walls, this 8-year-old special release was bottled at natural cask strength without chill filtration as part of Diageo's annual Special Releases collection.
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