The 2013 bottling of Talisker 25 Year Old. Now bottled from refill casks at Talisker's traditional strength of 45.8% (80 proof), this is once again a classic iron-fist-velvet-glove Talisker par excellence.
Nose: Unreduced, a quiet nose, not hugely assertive, yet quite maritime. Fresh ship’s varnish. Faint nose prickle. Spicy, briny. Distant smoke. Adding water subdues the sea and raises subtle, sweeter notes.
Palate: At bottled strength, a gentle start, immediately building in intensity. Slow and sweet, then kicks in peppery and hot, with significant balancing bitterness and salt, and a little smoke. This balance bursts across the palate, with a mouth-drying effect. Medium bodied. Drinks powerfully straight. Minerally. Toasty. Appetising. Adding water (30% approx.) gives a slower, sweeter, fruitier start, with the warmth coming in behind this then extending more slowly across the palate. There’s no marked chilli pepper catch in the throat at the end, but pepper is there on the tongue.
