Talisker

I'm not even sure why I am posting this as there are no surprises here, but I got a bottle of Talisker for Christmas and I am struck again by just how much I like this Scotch. I like lots of Scotchs, including the really forceful Isleys, and lots of the Highlands Scotchs. But there is something about Talisker that just hits the sweet spot to me as to all of the usual Scotch flavor and aroma notes.

The odd thing is, I have tasted Talisker side by side against, say, McClelland, and I have too say that the McClelland by all objective criteria was "better" than Talisker. But picking up a glass of McClelland outside of a direct comparision, never seems to delight and satisfy me as much as Talisker does. A glass of Talisker always makes me start drinking Scotch again for a while. Whereas a glass of almost any other Scotch, and I am not draw back in.

Pretty weird!

I am totally new to scotch and bought a 4 bottle minature tasting gift set. It consisted of Talisker, Dalwhinnie, Singleton & Glenkinichie. Out of these Talisker was the one I am drawn to. I love the smokey taste it has and it seems to have much more depth to the other scotches. I am not too keen on the floral taste's I found with some of the others.

At a local pub I ordered a Talisker 10 (first time ordering a scotch) and it was delish!!

I am now debating whether to buy a bottle of talisker or laphroig which I hear so much about.

Talisker is a staple in my cabinet.

Bellur said:

I am totally new to scotch and bought a 4 bottle minature tasting gift set. It consisted of Talisker, Dalwhinnie, Singleton & Glenkinichie. Out of these Talisker was the one I am drawn to. I love the smokey taste it has and it seems to have much more depth to the other scotches. I am not too keen on the floral taste's I found with some of the others.

At a local pub I ordered a Talisker 10 (first time ordering a scotch) and it was delish!!

I am now debating whether to buy a bottle of talisker or laphroig which I hear so much about.

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<talisker or laphroig>

You might want to start with a milder Islay before going to Laphroig, which is a monster of a Scotch--not that I do not love it. Although as I think about it, lots of folks that get into Scotch gravitate to the powerful Islays, like Laphroig, and then move onto to the more delicate ones, so maybe you will love Laphroig from the first!

Talisker is my favorite by a mile! Back in the 80's it was very hard to get in the US and had a cult like following-now, thank Goodness, it is readily available.

binowatch said:

Talisker is my favorite by a mile! Back in the 80's it was very hard to get in the US and had a cult like following-now, thank Goodness, it is readily available.

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I never knew that! Thank goodness indeed!

If I recall, there are still a number of good Scotches not really available in the States even given all the emphasis single malts have gotten in the past couple of decades.