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Talisker 10 Year Old Reviews
- Distillery
- Talisker
- Style
- Single Malt
- Release
- Unspecified
- Age
- 10 Years
- Alcohol
- 45.8% abv.
- Region
- Scotland, Island
- Bottled For
- Distillery
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On the shores of Loch Harport, the village of Carbost is home to SkyeÂ’s only distillery producing a wonderfully powerful and award-winning Island malt bottled at above average strength.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Dramiel McHinson
- Color
- Golden in full light
- Nose
- sweet heather, earthy peat, hint of Spring peppermint with sisal rope and lnseed oil; fine leather and wisp of smoke
- Body
- medium body rich in flavor
- Palate
- sweet, warm fruit cobbler and spice, drier on mid palate with peat and oak notes.
- Finish
- Long, smooth and warm; black pepper, spice fading on smoked peat.
This whisky is the courtship; blossoming love and conjugal act followed by a satisfying smoke and sweet dreams.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Colin
- Color
- Red Amber
- Nose
- Brine, Sea smells, Gentle, Floural, Slightly metalic
- Body
- Very dry, Medium heavy
- Palate
- Alcohol, Sour, Very floural, Salt.
- Finish
- Long and warming in the bellly.
This one likes a little water. I found it too sweet and briney, and a little bit sour.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Eddie
- Color
- Amber, Gold
- Nose
- A Little Smoke, , Seaweed, Hay, Oysters and Peat, Very Balanced.
- Body
- Full Body, a little Syrupy.
- Palate
- Peat, Pepper, Oak, and Spicy. also a little Buttery.
- Finish
- Spicy, Dry, Pepper and Long, All the tastes stay for the ride.
I found this to be a very GOOD dram and I'am looking forward to the next time I pull this cork.. This one has a good strong Whisky taste and feel, The way I like it.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Touch
- Color
- Golden amber.
- Nose
- Smoke, sea, brine.
- Body
- Full body, dry.
- Palate
- Spice, oak, pepper, hint of peat. Smooth & dry.
- Finish
- Long, smooth, spicy. Strong influence of pepper.
An excellent balance of spice, pepper, wood, peat and sea elements. Smooth yet full flavored,
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Mudshark
- Color
- Gold Amber hinting at Ochre
- Nose
- Sweet floral aroma, slight smoke, hint of peat and honey, Oak wood and leather from an Old World Tavern
- Body
- Smooth, slight syrup, nice body
- Palate
- Warm buttery chocolate, then sea salt, dry oak and pepper
- Finish
- Very long, warm and soothing. Hint of Dark Chocolate.
This one's like an inviting mature woman sidling up to the bar. I always have a bottle of this in the cabinet. A standard to which I compare others.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Mishima
- Color
- Always a little darker than I remember, a roan bronze
- Nose
- A gentlemanly peat takes his glove and smacks you in the face. Not a woodsy smoke, but more akin to the odour of brisket smoking on a cold day. There is more here, sherry, not shy, only reservedly reticient. A sea brine sweetness joining the peat smoke and sherry together.
- Body
- Creamy, light but mouth filling at once.
- Palate
- Somewhat sweeter than you would expect lurking under the smoke. There is sherry, spice and oak here, all swaddled in that nebulous peat haze that comes to the fore and retreats in turn. Just a hint of the pepper to come.
- Finish
- The peppery finish this whisky is (in)famous for. A long, long burn that stars like a screaming siren from the distance, speeding and blueshifting into your mouth it fills your senses with 4 alarm fire. Eventually it fades to a prickle that will stay for several minutes unless you douse it with water, or another sip.
Gracefully beautiful, enticing and over the top, it is a Shakespearean tragedy, crafted perfectly from beginning to end, and yes with the vicious bloodbath which steals the show and hushes the crowd right before the curtain closes.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Mandrake
- Color
- Gold with reddish-amber hints
- Nose
- Peaty and salty. Bit of smoke and heather. Slight sweetness.
- Body
- Medium bodied, slick and a bit oily.
- Palate
- Salty, fair bit of peat and grassiness. Oak, with some dryness as well.
- Finish
- Hot and sharp in the finish, pepper and salt.
Distinctive and enjoyable, a real bargain at the price.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- a peat monster!
- Palate
- sea salt, yet sweet.
- Finish
- a lingering peppery finish
Best scotch for the price. No matter what I try, it always gets compared to Talisker, a rich, distinctive, and complex whisky. A fantastic, bold drink!
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Frombeyond
- Color
- bronze
- Nose
- iodine, the ocean, smoke, etc ...
- Body
- thick and full bodied
- Palate
- great structure, peppery, smokey and spicey
- Finish
- long finish with white pepper
Great whisky, a Classic and priced nicely. If you like pepper and smoke, you''ll love this scotch.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Catka
- Color
- Golden Amber, to light golden bronze
- Nose
- Light peat
- Body
- Light smooth and warming
- Palate
- Light peat, sea salt, peppery sweet
- Finish
- Gradual warming to a peppery bite that lingers long and tingley on the lips, tongue and gums!!
This is the tops of the Islay malts!! The mild smoke and peat give way to a sweet warming peppery bite of a finish that has spoiled me for comparable single malts!!
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by ColoradoDram
- Color
- Shiny golden amber.
- Nose
- Vanilla, honey, fermenting apple. Not the plume of volcanic peat I would expect given what I know is coming.
- Body
- Thin oil - this is possibly where it most shows its youth.
- Palate
- Prickly pepper, especially on the back of the tongue when you roll it around. A fine balance of salty sweet too.
- Finish
- This is where its peat smoke shines - in a wonderfully smooth, very warm, medium-length prickly pepper with sweet afterbreath finish.
This might just be the best 10 year on the planet - worthy to sit side-by-side with much older scotches. It takes water well if you want to reduce the ABV, and it's priced right. It may not be terribly complex, but it's dangerously tasty (so be careful out there!)
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Williamson
- Color
- Ambergold
- Nose
- Subtle salt, with a hint of sweetness. Such balance, such grace. Some sawdust and woodchips, barley and honey.
- Body
- Slightly dry, smooth but fierce.
- Palate
- Fierce dryness, seasalt and lemon. Bittersweet and well-balanced, with some smoked fish.
- Finish
- Long and refreshing, a bit sweet. No one was lying about that peppery finish either, what a dram this is.
This is everybody's friend, such character and style. Great balance, appetizing taste, fine finish. One of a kind.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Peat, smoke, fruity, citrus, sweet
- Body
- Full
- Palate
- Rather unbalanced. I was not at all impressed with the combative contrast of the sweetness and the smokiness.
- Finish
- Long
I really wasn't very happy with this scotch. I don't plan on trying it again.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- amber
- Nose
- water that had dead fish swimming in it.
- Body
- medium
- Palate
- A great pepper taste, but all was ruined because of the taste of dead fish swimming in or around the aging process.
- Finish
- long pepper finish.
I also find it very hard to believe any one likes this single malt. SO much POTENTIAL but all is ruined by the over whelming dead fish water taste.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by TheGrinch
- Color
- Golden orange
- Nose
- As soon as the liquid leaves the bottle, before my nose gets anywhere near the glass, there is already a tantalizing whiff of spicy peat in the air. Raising the glass and inhaling brings a strong medicinal/hospital smell with what seems to be a hint of 'dip' (skoal, etc).
- Body
- Smooth and moderately oily
- Palate
- Salty peat delivered on a velvet pillow. Strong and forceful without being abrasive. The perfect middle ground in-between The Peatless and something like Lagavulin or Laphroaig.
- Finish
- A wonderful, peaty, peppery burn! That was not dip I detected earlier, but only the foreshadowing of a delicious afterburn that, true to it's reputation, can be described only as "peppery".
This whisky is fantastic. Period. I stop at a rating of 93 only because I have yet to try every whisky on the planet and I must leave upward room for the unexpected!
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Tinfoilhat
- Color
- Golden Orange
- Nose
- Sweet malt, peat, marshmallow, honey, some smoke.
- Body
- Creamy, syrup
- Palate
- Peat, light sweet smoke, some salt, pepper/spice at the back of the tongue.
- Finish
- Long, drying, pepper burn
Reading the other comments makes me wonder about the consistency of this whisky. I get no iodine, restrained peat, light smoke - nowhere near Bowmore, nevermind Ardbeg or Lagavulin. Dead fish? Oysters? I don't get any brine from my sample. My bottle is very well balanced, a perfect halfway between the better Speysides and the medium hitting Islays. Wonderful stuff.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Wtl.base
- Color
- Caramel
- Nose
- Peat, light smoke, oak. Distinct and well-integrated; hard to deconstruct.
- Body
- Full, oily. Smooth but assertive.
- Palate
- Big and rather sweet malt, cereal, a touch of citrus and sweet red pepper. Something hot too, like black pepper.
- Finish
- Long, a bit dry. A very slight hint of burnt rubber at the end but not at all in an off-putting way.
Warm, rich, ale-like style. A few drops of water make it more approachable but don't change the balance much.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by I'mWithPeat
- Color
- bronze
- Nose
- Peat and leather campfire
- Body
- Definitely the oily and viscous side of average
- Palate
- Develops a good deal upon opening, so be patient after popping: sharp and salty face jab...iodine diminished after a few minutes - yielding to gorgeous leather and old sherry cask...but nothing cloying or forcibly sweet. Peat abounds of course start to finish. Dominant (dominatrix?) midpallate aspect is the pepperin scourging the tongue...quite unpleasant at first, but this whiskey is a coy little sonovabitch that wants to play...personally that's what turned me on to this dram. It's not gonna' rip your face off like Lagavulin or Laphroaig though.
- Finish
- Hedonist pepper burn scrapes the oil off the tip of your tongue, while corners of your mouth bathe in oily peatiness...doesn't last long, but frankly I think that's intentional given its intensity. There are no floaties or candies, or cute little distractions on the peppery finish. You'll be glad when it's over...and pursue it again.
A tongue lashing...literally
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Dark Gold
- Nose
- Sweet
- Body
- Light
- Palate
- Sweet
- Finish
- Brilliant finish with the taste of Scotch lingering, and not the ethanol.
Superb whisky. Good value high end single malt.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Paydaymayday
- Color
- Heavy copper to gold. Looks quite viscous, fairly oily but not so much as a typical Islay - I suppose because it’s not. Being from such a unique geographical spot, this is fitting.
- Nose
- An initial spice, then comes on strong. Light peaty and earthy tones invade the nostrils. Sea salt tingles the inside of the nose. Fades fast to leave a fresh seashore breeze over thick, moist grass. A very faint hint of rich nuts hides behind the curtain.
- Palate
- Peat immediately collects at the back of the mouth but is not unwelcoming; it leaves room for play in the front of the mouth. Envelops the mouth quickly. The oil halts the finer tastes on the initial sip, but soon gives way to a light brine, which also fades. Mixed spices arrive along with cedar notes and make their presence politely known. Sea salt and pepper make a brief appearance on the tip of the tongue.
- Finish
- The first sip of the dram seems to offer a quick, retreating finish, but as the glass empties, it warms up to you and stays with you as a old, welcomed houseguest. Almost an imperceptible hint of iodine as the salt, peat, spices, and wood travel slowly from the back of the mouth to the front. The fireplace is definitely roaring, but it is toasty warm - not burning.
Absolutely outstanding malt with a true character that changes and develops from the first sip to the last.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- White pepper, brine, oyster shells, nut shells, iodine, cut grass
- Body
- Turpentine
- Palate
- My first "serious" flirtation with single malt so far. Dazzling and at first a bit frightening: old fishing boats, the sand under a rotting pier, chopped grass, fish scales, burping after a seafood dinner. Later, was impressed by the sheer "savoury" nature of the dram - literally appetising, the combination of smoke, fish, salt and pepper being oddly mouthwatering. Later, on airing and watering, more fruity notes come up, like raisins and cherry glaces. Briny/fleshy odours more obvious when the whisky is swirled a bit.
- Finish
- I was at first impressed by the long, long white pepper finish; after ten, fifteen minutes began to wish it would last a little less long.
Diving into the Atlantic ocean on a drizzly afternoon with a mouth full of cut grass and fish scales
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Chief
- Color
- Pale bronze
- Nose
- Pleasant, recognizingly Highland
- Body
- Medium
- Palate
- Highland/Islay characteristics, mellowin comparison to the best examples of each
- Finish
- disappointingly short based on expectations
Somewhere along the line Talisker accrued an undying reputation that it seemingly lives off of. While I found it enjoyable, I strain to find qualities the "experts" heap upon it. I'm still looking for all of that "pepper" and the finish is disappointingly short for my taste. I must assume my ambivelance is due to the high expectations built by the many grand reviews. This is one I'll buy in a bar for a change of pace but, I have a many a preference ahead of it on my shopping list of bottles destined for the cellar.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- DARK GOLD
- Nose
- PEAT, LIGHT SMOKE, IODINE, HEATHER, HINT OF SWEETNESS, HONEY, OAK, SALT
- Body
- FULL BODY, OILY
- Palate
- A GREAT PEPPER TASTE, LIGHT PEAT, SALTY, OAK, SPICY
- Finish
- LONG, A BIT DRY, A PEPPERY BURN
ROBBIE
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Bronze
- Nose
- Smoke, Peat.
- Body
- Full bodied
- Palate
- Very spicy, smoky, iodine.
- Finish
- Very long aftertaste. Warm.
Similar to Caol Ila 12 YO, but with a whole bunch of spices upon it. Very rich, lots of character. First whisky that opened up the world of whiskies for me.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Eye-lah Guy
- Color
- Sparkling copper in the glass
- Nose
- Spry nose of campfires and sweet currants
- Body
- An able and strong body with Betty Grable legs
- Palate
- An able and strong body with Betty Grable legs. Sweet honey and Highland-like vanilla on initial tip of the tongue succumbs to an invasion of peat most wicked, and unabashed wooden barrel char; this unholy alliance somehow balances like Jekyll and Hyde.
- Finish
- Finishes with the subtlety of a car accident, the fiery oak blazing to a smolder, with the chilis, current and malt of the nose melting back in as it’s cleared; this is one extraordinary display of closure.
This is lip-quivering, eye-twitchingly good stuff. The double cask Speyside crew will appreciate it, and there's enough sea brine and peat to keep the west coast crew exceedingly stimulated. Yeah, this kicks your ass; while not all at once, suddenly you look up and your legs are wobbly, and Muhammad Ali is standing over your prostrate body; as the beaten rise and are ready and willing for the next pull, with gloves up and mouth open…
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Sideburns
- Color
- Amber.
- Nose
- Strong rich wet leather smell. I wanna wear sometimes as a cologne. Wonderful!
- Body
- Full bodied. Complex / heavy. Not for the faint-hearted. It's a punch in the face.
- Palate
- Layers of flavors starting with pepper, seaweed, savory as oppose to sweet. The peat is there but not as overpowering as an Ardbeg 10.
- Finish
- Long finish. Numbs the palate in a wonderful way.
My first introduction to peated single malt scotch. It was love at first taste. It's like a favorite mistress that I keep coming back to.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Nice light bronze.
- Nose
- Very sweet and aromatic.
- Body
- Smooth and a bit syrupy.
- Palate
- I got a creamy sweetness more than anything else. Most of the flavor seemed concentrated on the tongue, with little kick in the back of the throat.
- Finish
- Hints of vanilla. Very smooth.
This had a nice sweet taste, and was easy to drink, but lacked the complexity and multiplicity of flavors that I look for in Scotch.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Papa Whisky
- Color
- vog enhanced hawaiian sunset
- Nose
- Smoke, peat, band-aide box, and new cowboy boots
- Body
- full, oily long legs
- Palate
- Ahh this is where it becomes magical. You take a sip from the dram and the waves of flavors come rolling through one after the other. The Smoke and peat shows up first to remind you that they're in charge, charred shellfish, bits of medicinal hints, mild fruity notes, then a salty yet savory mist coats your lips and mouth inviting another sip. A few sips along with lenghty swirling will cause your tongue to go numb (fantastic).
- Finish
- Long and warm with lingering smoke and salty peppers. Onolicious
I love this wisky. No one favor totally dominates, infact the flavors compliment each other. Talisker is a whisky diamond, each flavor facet has its own sparkle, but as a whole, it shines with brilliance.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Dmessmer
- Color
- Nice brownish gold.
- Nose
- Very sweet.
- Body
- Medium body with a nice smoothness.
- Palate
- Sugary sweetness, like icing or white chocolate, followed by some peppery flavors.
- Finish
- Smooth, but with a bit of pepper. Very clean.
This whisky is a little lacking in complexity, but the flavors it does have are very nice. I found this easy and pleasant to drink.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Light smoke, cherry
- Body
- Oily
- Palate
- A waltz into peat and smoke with a sweet pepper finish
- Finish
- Long lasting tingly numbness
Laphroig fans will love this
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Light gold
- Nose
- Smoke
- Body
- Full bodied, Strong binded
- Palate
- Smoke, pepper, sweet chillipepper
- Finish
- Short to medium, more spicy than warm.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- the first rays of sunrise whence rousing
- Nose
- shaking a cowboys hand while questioning ones sexuality
- Body
- full. lathery. sensual yet firm.
- Palate
- the pleasure of falling off your horse and getting sand it your mouth, but still feeling like a man. rolling in the hay after a long day of sweat rolling down your face and into your mouth.
- Finish
- lying on your back looking at the stars, not caring if the world were to end right now.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by TradeWhisks
- Color
- Firm Amber
- Nose
- Oak, Peat, Earth, Caramel, Balsam, Leather, hints of Apple, and a subtle spring of Honey.
- Body
- Creamy, full, smooth.
- Palate
- Most of the fruit indicated by the nose hits quick, then lays aside to allow the earthy, smokey flavors to dominate and transition into the finish.
- Finish
- A long finish, bringing an assertive warmth as the peat and oak linger in a delightful exchange on the sides of your tongue, punctuated ever slightly with reminders of the citrus.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Warm gold.
- Nose
- Malt and barley-sugar with bubbling undercurrents of smouldering peat and air-dried seaweed.
- Body
- Oily and prickly. Equal measures of creamy smoothness and attitude.
- Palate
- Heavy malt, seaweed & brine, salty caramel, russett apples, oaky smoke and damp turf & sparklers.
- Finish
- Like putting a sweet oily blanket over a box of lit fireworks... the action lingers for ages, and the flavours keep changing. (I'm drinking it as I write!) , mmm....
If ever a whisky describes the landscape from where it was produced, this does it to perfection... sea, rugged mountains and ever changing skies. This stuff is genius. I drink a lot of this whisky and it's always the same - always different! mmmmm.....
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Straw
- Nose
- Peat, iodine, sea salt
- Body
- Full, oily
- Palate
- Peppery, leather, some nuts
- Finish
- Long lasting pepper
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Salt, smoke, pepper, iodine, cold sea spray
- Body
- Thin but intense
- Palate
- Peat, intense sparkly pepper! Like a sparkler on your tongue. Salty
- Finish
- Tingly, burn. A winter whisky
Solid. I particularly enjoy the blue top on the cork and the simple label.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by PS1
- Color
- Amber/dark honey
- Nose
- Some iodine, peat, slight bandaids, faraway smoke, sand, four blocks from the beach sea air, slight purple clover flower, nosing close it's a touch of sweet alcohol dryness like smelling a cognac
- Body
- Medium-light / oily
- Palate
- Pepper to start, bitter for a second, then alternates between slight sweetness and peat. More pepper. Salty. A bit of bite. Tingly white pepper.
- Finish
- Medium long, ending on pepper and a final crest of peat sweetness
Very solid
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Weednwhisky
- Color
- dark gold
- Nose
- Toffee, Caramel, a little smoke
- Body
- thick, full
- Palate
- Caramel, a little weirdness I can't describe all to well, it doesn't suit me
- Finish
- long though not too long, it's not at all like Islay whisky (lot of smoke), there's rather a little fruitlike finish
Very nice though a little to much of this old caramel, I advice some water to improve complexity and bring out true taste, leave it for a couple of minutes without shaking and try it again.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Quisnic
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Smoke, Peat, Iodine, Citrus.
- Body
- Full
- Palate
- Peat, Citrus, Peper.
- Finish
- Long and strong
I am a fan of Islay whiskies, so it is no suprise that I enjoyed this offering from Talisker. Very familar to Islay whiskies, but a unique flavor.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Pale
- Nose
- Peat
- Body
- Thin
- Palate
- Bilious, vile and bitter aftertaste
- Finish
- Latest batches are awful and Diageo customer service is worse. Avoid bottles in the new boxes with orange RNLI campaign. Previous batches were vastly superior.
WARNING! Latest batches are terrible!
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Wulf
- Color
- Gold with hints of amber
- Nose
- Mildly smokey with a reserved amount of peat, and a fair amount of sherry to compliment a floral bouquet with a hint of salt reminiscent of a sea-side tavern
- Body
- Smooth, yet bold
- Palate
- Complex and audacious with initial slight brine that only emphasizes the oak and sherry juxtaposition with taciturn peat to compliment the whole. Greater than the sum of its parts.
- Finish
- Long and welcoming with the flirtation of spices and pepper to maintain your interest and generate a cumulative warmth. Comfort, but with a sense of adventure.
I usually prefer straight Scotch, but this is definitely a single-malt that requires a splash of water to unlock the complexity. After that, it is nostalgia in a glass.
Talisker 10 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber/Gold
- Nose
- Heavy hospital smell...
- Body
- Medium probably...
- Palate
- Lots of sea salt, oysters, peat, phenol
- Finish
- Medium with sharp resonant peak in the begining.Very,very peppery...
Impossible to drink my 20ml first time Talisker. Not very pleasant hospital smell on the nose that covers anything else that might be there. Lots of sea salt and pepper on the tongue,razor sharp overwhelming and toatlly unbalanced. Reminded me of Balantine's. Even more pepper for finish. Opposite of smooth. What am I going to do with the rest 730ml left in the bottle? Highland Park blows this one out of the water any day!