I am yet to try the re design and reformula. I absolutely loved the previous version. The sea salt notes along with the fruit and slight peat were a fabulous combination. Luckily, I have 2 back up bottles. I know the day will come when I will have to buy the reformulation and I am afraid it is not going to be what I expect.
It certainly disappointed me. Always be wary when a label changes. It means the contents have changed as well. It means that the company is listening to it's marketing department and CPAs. Not fair to a clientele that has been accustomed to to what they have enjoyed for years.
Great review of a decent dram, Jim. Thanks for re-reviewing it. For me the Talisker is as you described: smoky, but not as ..., dirty, but not as ..., and that's exactly what this whisky is for me: good, but not as... and therefore a dram that I easily leave and reach for more interesting whiskies. However, a dram worth checking out. Slàinte mhath
Another grand review! Another old faithful (does suffer from a little variation now and again) and an ever present on the shelves here too!Enjoyable no nonsense dram! Cheers Jim 🥃
Cheers Hellen. I've never had two bottles of this close enough together to spot variation but, as I said in this review, I have an older bottling so, before this one's gone, I'll put a good sample aside to try a side by side. Should make for an interesting ezperiment.
Great notes Jim - totally nailed the Talisker vibe. I didn't get on with this one at the start many moons ago, but now I always like to have one handy. Cheers mucker.
Nice to see a review without 1000 jump cuts like so many reviewers, appreciate it’s hard to just stand there and chat but for me a one take makes things much more easy to follow
Great notes, seems like you’re getting the good taliskers up there. My last 2 bottles started out great with maritime peat, bbq and lemons but they completely desintegrated to hot pepper and generic peat. And those were still significantly better than the other nas expressions in their core range. 😬
Damn Menno. That's not good. As I said, I have a 10 from a few years back. I must set a sample of this one aside and compare them at some point. Cheers buddy.
Another great review Jim, I agree about the whiskey and also about the label, hopefully we will see the classic one again! Talisker 10 was not my first peated bottle, but it was the one that got me into the world of smoky whiskies, and I always replace it, I hope they keeps the price affordable. Greetings and Cheers!
Great review, it's the briny saltiness that I find to much in Talisker I struggle to get past it, a different drink completely than peated islay's for my palate.
Hi Jim, this is still a good dram but would only buy Talisker 10 when its on offer, so picked up a bottle a couple of weeks ago for a price of €26 👍(around £22) and then gave a friend a third of the bottle. Enjoyed the review Jim,slàinte.
Agree with Frank and Menno. Tried Talisker early in my journey and I really had to work through it. The chili pepper thing doesn't really do it for me. I will happily drink a dram when proffered but not sure if I will replace the bottle. Cheers Jim and great review as always.
Good notes as ever buddy. I remember trying Talisker way back when first getting into whiskey, coming from Bushmills and the like this was a bit much lol. Have since come round a bit to peat, but never really re-visited this till I got a bottle as a gift last year (agree the new bottle design is awful). Honestly, not sure if it was my mood or what but I seemed to get a totally different reaction to it each time I had a drop. First opened it at my mates caravan in Portaferry, and not sure if it was the sea air playing tricks but I surprisingly enjoyed it. Then a few weeks later I had it again and wasn't as keen.
Cheers Matthew. It's incredible how occassion or mood or what you've eaten, etc., etc., can change how a whisky works. It makes me question what I'm doing reviewing sometimes but...I suppose we're all in the same boat really. Yours' is a prime example of this.
It was my first pewter whisky. Already have had a hint of peat in other whiskies like the JW black and few others, but wasn’t conscientious of what peated whiskies were, so when I tasted it for the first time, I found it very wierd, couldn’t tell what was I tasting. After some drams, I became a fan of it. My second was Lagavullin 16, when was easy to find.
Cheers Antonio. Peat, as we all know, can come as a shock to the system but, once our palates become acustom to it...it makes our journeys so much more interesting I feel.
I'm sitting on a half bottle for quite a while now. Good stuff. Totally in sync with what you saying. "The four horsemen of the whisky journey". I think of Talisker 10 as the quintessential peated single malt whisky. If you can't deal with Tal10 you'll never get on with Islay. After all the money I've spent on whisky I just can't get the 18 year on my shopping list. Seems to get really good reviews.
I think my expectations for Talisker 10 may have been a little unfair. James Bond’s malt of choice and all that. Still solid but you’re right about the re-design. The old bottle was simple but classy. The new one is lame.
I’ve loved Talisker since the beginning of my whisky journey in 2010. Last couple of years I’ve been gifted the distillers ed or dark storm from my dad so no reason to get the 10 for my shelf. However I recently bought this new bottle and was underwhelmed. It doesn’t sit right with me. Not like the 10 of old.
Cheers Kenneth. As I've said to a few others...I have an older bottling of this which, I look forward to trying side by side against this one. I don't doubt that it'll be better.
In Bulgaria, for about 35 euros Talisker 10 is maybe the only Diageo core range expression which resembles somewhat decent value. Not a bottle I'd be rushing to replace and always keep in my cupboard but still one I won't feel being ripped off. Whether its profile would be found as pleasant is up to personal taste but presentation wise, at its current price, Talisker 10 is worth a shot. BTW I have very fond memories tasting the Distillers Edition. Sadly it has become harder and pricier to get. Cheers!
IMO currently the best entry level Diageo product. Maybe Lagavulin 8 runs it close but the 16 is not entry level anymore and Clynelish 14 seems to have slipped to a generic highlander. The labelling stinks though, it’s a classic and should look like one.
I am yet to try the re design and reformula. I absolutely loved the previous version. The sea salt notes along with the fruit and slight peat were a fabulous combination. Luckily, I have 2 back up bottles. I know the day will come when I will have to buy the reformulation and I am afraid it is not going to be what I expect.
It certainly disappointed me.
Always be wary when a label
changes. It means the contents
have changed as well. It means
that the company is listening to
it's marketing department and CPAs. Not fair to a clientele
that has been accustomed to
to what they have enjoyed for
years.
I love this whisky!
It is in a word: classy.
Thorough review with lots of notes and great conversation. Thank you!
Talisker 10 was my 1st smokey whiskey, but it was this new bottling I haven't tried the old label one. I still love it. Thanks for the review 🤠
Great review of a decent dram, Jim. Thanks for re-reviewing it.
For me the Talisker is as you described: smoky, but not as ..., dirty, but not as ..., and that's exactly what this whisky is for me: good, but not as... and therefore a dram that I easily leave and reach for more interesting whiskies. However, a dram worth checking out.
Slàinte mhath
Cheers Frank. It is a bit "on the fence" I suppose.
Slàinte my friend.
Another grand review! Another old faithful (does suffer from a little variation now and again) and an ever present on the shelves here too!Enjoyable no nonsense dram! Cheers Jim 🥃
Cheers Hellen. I've never had two bottles of this close enough together to spot variation but, as I said in this review, I have an older bottling so, before this one's gone, I'll put a good sample aside to try a side by side. Should make for an interesting ezperiment.
Great notes Jim - totally nailed the Talisker vibe. I didn't get on with this one at the start many moons ago, but now I always like to have one handy. Cheers mucker.
Cheers Al. It's one I like to go back to now and again but don't drink regularly. It keeps it interesting.
Thanks buddy.
Nice to see a review without 1000 jump cuts like so many reviewers, appreciate it’s hard to just stand there and chat but for me a one take makes things much more easy to follow
Cheers. I'm not a fan of the cut edit myself so I've always tried to put my content out as "one take". I feel it looks better.
Great notes, seems like you’re getting the good taliskers up there. My last 2 bottles started out great with maritime peat, bbq and lemons but they completely desintegrated to hot pepper and generic peat. And those were still significantly better than the other nas expressions in their core range. 😬
Damn Menno. That's not good. As I said, I have a 10 from a few years back. I must set a sample of this one aside and compare them at some point.
Cheers buddy.
Another great review Jim, I agree about the whiskey and also about the label, hopefully we will see the classic one again! Talisker 10 was not my first peated bottle, but it was the one that got me into the world of smoky whiskies, and I always replace it, I hope they keeps the price affordable. Greetings and Cheers!
Great review, it's the briny saltiness that I find to much in Talisker I struggle to get past it, a different drink completely than peated islay's for my palate.
Cheers Chris. It is a different kinda beast for sure.
Hi Jim, this is still a good dram but would only buy Talisker 10 when its on offer, so picked up a bottle a couple of weeks ago for a price of €26 👍(around £22) and then gave a friend a third of the bottle. Enjoyed the review Jim,slàinte.
Cheers David. That's a great price my friend. No excuse not to have a bottle for that money.
Slàinte buddy.
Agree with Frank and Menno. Tried Talisker early in my journey and I really had to work through it. The chili pepper thing doesn't really do it for me. I will happily drink a dram when proffered but not sure if I will replace the bottle. Cheers Jim and great review as always.
Cheers Bill. As always...isn't it great that we all have different tastes but yet we all come together in the same place.
Thanks buddy.
Good notes as ever buddy. I remember trying Talisker way back when first getting into whiskey, coming from Bushmills and the like this was a bit much lol. Have since come round a bit to peat, but never really re-visited this till I got a bottle as a gift last year (agree the new bottle design is awful). Honestly, not sure if it was my mood or what but I seemed to get a totally different reaction to it each time I had a drop. First opened it at my mates caravan in Portaferry, and not sure if it was the sea air playing tricks but I surprisingly enjoyed it. Then a few weeks later I had it again and wasn't as keen.
Cheers Matthew. It's incredible how occassion or mood or what you've eaten, etc., etc., can change how a whisky works. It makes me question what I'm doing reviewing sometimes but...I suppose we're all in the same boat really. Yours' is a prime example of this.
It was my first pewter whisky. Already have had a hint of peat in other whiskies like the JW black and few others, but wasn’t conscientious of what peated whiskies were, so when I tasted it for the first time, I found it very wierd, couldn’t tell what was I tasting. After some drams, I became a fan of it. My second was Lagavullin 16, when was easy to find.
Cheers Antonio. Peat, as we all know, can come as a shock to the system but, once our palates become acustom to it...it makes our journeys so much more interesting I feel.
I'm sitting on a half bottle for quite a while now. Good stuff. Totally in sync with what you saying. "The four horsemen of the whisky journey". I think of Talisker 10 as the quintessential peated single malt whisky. If you can't deal with Tal10 you'll never get on with Islay.
After all the money I've spent on whisky I just can't get the 18 year on my shopping list. Seems to get really good reviews.
Cheers Matt. I've been askes to review the 18 as part of my Dealers Choice series and would love to do so but...I also can't get my hands on one.
Rock Island is a solid alternative 👍 Even though I preferred the Rock Oyster name. Cheers!
Agreed Chris. Rock Oyster made sense to me.
Cheers man.
I think my expectations for Talisker 10 may have been a little unfair. James Bond’s malt of choice and all that. Still solid but you’re right about the re-design. The old bottle was simple but classy. The new one is lame.
I’ve loved Talisker since the beginning of my whisky journey in 2010. Last couple of years I’ve been gifted the distillers ed or dark storm from my dad so no reason to get the 10 for my shelf. However I recently bought this new bottle and was underwhelmed. It doesn’t sit right with me. Not like the 10 of old.
Cheers Kenneth. As I've said to a few others...I have an older bottling of this which, I look forward to trying side by side against this one. I don't doubt that it'll be better.
In Bulgaria, for about 35 euros Talisker 10 is maybe the only Diageo core range expression which resembles somewhat decent value. Not a bottle I'd be rushing to replace and always keep in my cupboard but still one I won't feel being ripped off.
Whether its profile would be found as pleasant is up to personal taste but presentation wise, at its current price, Talisker 10 is worth a shot.
BTW I have very fond memories tasting the Distillers Edition. Sadly it has become harder and pricier to get.
Cheers!
Cheers. It's a distillery that I haven't ventured into a great deal but would like to in the future.
Diageo, yuck.
IMO currently the best entry level Diageo product. Maybe Lagavulin 8 runs it close but the 16 is not entry level anymore and Clynelish 14 seems to have slipped to a generic highlander. The labelling stinks though, it’s a classic and should look like one.
Totally agree Greig. It used to look classier...but now it looks like it has been left to amateurs.
Cheers mate.