A wee dram? OK then...a big dram! (Talisker 10 Years Old)

Name: sleevie

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Product:	Talisker 10 Years Old
Date:	31/01/02 (341 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Smooth flavoursome and complex

Disadvantages: None

It'll come as no surprise whatsoever, I'm sure, that celebrations - Hogmanay in particular, and Burns Night more recently - are treated with the utmost seriousness chez Sleevie. Festivities always are and always will be treated with a degree of reverence which has astonished many an unwary visitor, especially when said festivities can be used as an excuse for conspicuous consumption, loud music and generally having a wee birl around the dance-floor that is our kitchen.

Having made it clear to one and all that single malt whiskies featured heavily on my 'wannagit' list for Christmas, I was delighted that the heavy hint was taken, and I could look forward to a dram of Talisker to see in the New Year. Indeed, the suggestion was treated so seriously that I could look forward to toasting every New Year, Burns Night and birthday celebration for the next decade or so in the finest Skye style!

Talisker is one of the 'Classic Malts' designated by Guinness United Distillers, who are the overlords of many fine distilleries. It's therefore readily available through retail outlets and in decent bars and hotels across the land. So once you've had a wee read about it, you can zip down to the local offy and grab a bottle to test out the veracity of my words. Expect to shell out around £20 for a 70cl bottle, or around £2.50 - £3.00 for the meagre 25ml measure English pubs are obliged to serve.

As you may be aware, malts, like wines, have clearly defined 'regions' which, if you follow the geographical rather than the taste method of classification, run to around six areas, these being (excuse the approximations here) Lowlands, West Highlands, Highlands, Speyside, Islay, and Western Isles. Talisker is produced on Skye, and indeed is the island's only malt whisky. As far as the classification goes, it should be a Western Isles sort of dram, but - engagingly - bears more resemblance to a Western Highlands malt than t
o it's nearer neighbours. Enough prevarication. Let's get down and dirty and have a taste.

Talisker (from the Norse Thalas Gair, meaning Sloping Rock, as you'll learn from reading the box your bottle comes in) is a bit of a split-personality. Pour yourself a decent measure. I'll leave you to decide what constitutes a decent measure; far be it from me to deny your right to take it by the half-pint. Just make sure you use a good glass-that's an order! First, take a look at the stuff. A rich, deep colour gives you the first hint of what's in store. Now get your nose into the glass before you taste it. Take a couple of good deep sniffs and, unless you've got a REALLY heavy cold, you'll notice a fruity, slightly smokey scent. You may, at this point, think that what you are about to taste will be something along the lines of an older Macallan or one of the Glenmorangies aged in Madeira casks or something. HAH! Couldn't be further from the mark! Go to the back of the class and put on the pointy hat. To find out what it's really about, take a tiny sip and run it across the whole of your tongue to capture all the different elements. Now climb down from the top of the bookcase, calm down the dog, straighten your clothes and have another undiluted sip. You'll be tasting a rich, powerful and intense whisky with a deep, slightly sweet flavour. Swallow, and you'll start to find out what's so special about this drink. The finish goes on for about 4 months, and walks to Lausanne and back in the meantime. This whisky gets stronger in its taste and character after you've swallowed it than before.

My rule of thumb with malts is that they should be softened with a dash of Scottish spring water to release the scents and some of the softer elements in the taste. With Talisker, however, I make an exception and drink it neat. Somehow it suits having your palate do the work. Try it both ways and make your own mind up.


A few historical notes to go with your tasting session.

The Distillery was established in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill near the banks of Loch Harport, and was all but destroyed by fire in 1960. It was rebuilt, along with all the necessary accoutrements, most significantly exact replicas of the pot stills which had been at the heart of the distillation process. The rebuild was a success, and 'post fire' whiskies don't differ at all from the pre-1960 samples-or so I'm assured, not having been given the opportunity to taste one of the originals-yet!

For more information, on this and malt whisky in general, www.smws.co.uk is the place to look. A great site full facts, gossip and even short stories relating to Malt Whisky.

And finally, if you ARE thinking about doing it by the half-pint, don't neglect the fact that it's 45.8% alcohol by volume, so a tad stronger than most other malts on general sale.

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