2012 Talisker 8 Year Old (Special Release 2021) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

"...a diamond distillate, this is the perfect cut, a kind of grail that only time could further polish." - whiskyfun.com

Other reviews... Drawn from their smokiest casks, the nose brings cigar smoke, struck match, spiced cracker bread, and coastal notes, though it’s spirity and youthful. Light bodied with chocolate and orange at first; there’s a bold thrust of spices, smoke, and clove, followed by chocolate cake and a hint of salt. Powerful spices stay to the fore throughout, turning earthy with a touch of leather before a smoky finish. 89 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick 2021

...These come with some pretty immersive web pages that you could marvel at while sipping your dram. Rather well done, those pages. This baby is said to be particularly smoky, while each expression within this year's SRs comes with a nickname, this time it is 'The Rogue Seafury'. Aren't we shaky now… Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: it doesn't feel like they've been using rum wood, which they did last year. We're rather experiencing an extremely narrow style, in the best sense of that expression (as some great Chablis can be narrow). A lot of mercurochrome, seawater, oysters, crushed chalk and just a load of peat. I think I had already wondered if they weren't Islayising Talisker… With water: oh this wonderful brine! Plus olive oil and a drop of mezcal. Even mezcal cannot beat this. Mouth (neat): a total blade, sharp like a katana (whatever) and with a lot of lemon juice, brine and just 'peat'. A citrusy fruitiness too after a few seconds, perhaps citrons? Again, very simple, almost abstract, and just terrific. With water: 4/4 (nose neat, nose diluted, palate neat, palate diluted). Stunning purity, I suppose the only thing you could do to further improve this make is wait. All the rest is total absolut ganz perfect. Finish: long, well, not that long actually but sublimely pure. Comments: a diamond distillate, this is the perfect cut, a kind of grail that only time could further polish (you're rambling on, S.) Just add time… By the way I couldn't find any vintage but there could be one, I shall amend accordingly. Cheers Peter, you would have loved this one. 91 points - whiskyfun.com