Hello Mark. Just now getting to check this out, spent the day at a hospital where my mom was having a procedure done. But now I've poured a vintage 8 yr old and am nestling in to watch this
First time i've seen your site Mark. Informative review, however i'd remark on the comparison to Macallan. Diageo clearly have rebranded and have raised there price point but their published main reason was that aged Talisker is in greater demand thanks to more people drinking it. The demand is now greater than production and therefore pricing increased to reflect that. I don't believe Diageo presents the 18, 25 or 30 YO Taliskers in the same league as the Macallan aged statements. They are worlds apart. I have both and IMO, the Talisker is my preferred across all aged statements of the Macallan core range. Great review non the less. Thanks.
Welcome! Thanks for watching! Interesting thoughts, but diehard fans are all pissed off to say the least. For issues you speak of, 10% or 20% price increase would be grumbled about but accepted. Double is a step too far imho. They could release a reasonable number of bottles per year until inventory catches up, and put out more special releases for the meanwhile. Since the time you wrote, their plans to rebuild the distillery bigger have been announced. Hopefully the local government approves it. It would be nice if they could continue production simultaneously while the new still room is built to minimize work stoppage. They’re probably one of the bigger employers on Skye. Cheers from Korea🥃🥃🥃🥃
Super interesting video! I love Talisker 18 and I was able to grab a couple of bottles recently. Pricey but worth it to my husband and me!! Delicious!! Wow I have never seen the Hunter Laing Hepburn! Great video Mark! Keep an eye out for the latest Offerman 11 aged for a time in rum casks! The Lagavulin smoke and slight taste of rum goes very well together even without being a rum fan. Cheers! 🙂
Hi Christine! Wow lucky! I hope you can find Hepburns Choice - usually very good to excellent stuff. I’ll watch out for new Lagavulin 11! Rum fan here! Cheers🥃🥃🥃🥃
a friend of mine with similar taste as I keeps raving about that Lagavulin. I still think I'd prefer last years offering with the heavy charred barrel, but I'm going to give it a try
Very nice video, and as a Talisker fanboy, well more than that an obsession with Talisker, I thought you were spot on with your assessments. I've often said and still believe, that Talisker 18 and Lagavulin 16 are the two regular releases that come closer than any to being perfect. I've had these bottles, perhaps not the exact vintage but similar bottles and would mostly concur with your assessments. I got a kick out of your kiss of peat comment, a decade ago, well maybe a decade and a half ago, this would be considered moderately heavy peated. I love the dichotomy in Talisker, the peat and pepper not really competing with, but contrasting the berries. I also have a particular fondness for younger bottles. There is someone livelier, though noticeably drier in a 7-9 year old Talisker, be it a vintage bottle like I poured or one of the current IBs that are out there. Thanks for the review. I certainly enjoyed it. Although I will take issue with the, there are better bottles out there comment :)
Also, I've never met a Talisker improved by water. Changed, absolutely and for some maybe for the better, but not for me. All it does is mute my favorite components
Great comments, Bobby! You’re right, it is hard to beat Talisker 18 - and wow it has been too long since I tried regular Lag 16 (9 years?) though I have the distillers edition which is a sweet peaty treat. But at $330 Canadian I’d probably opt for some indie bottles. Still some nice prices in USA though! Haha definitely is moderately heavily peated so maybe dollop or wave of peat would have been a better phrase! I’ve got to re review 10 year old as the prices in Korea for that bottle haven’t changed much in 10 years! Cheers my friend🥃🥃🥃🥃
I saw that Talisker 18 on the shelf for $189+NY tax. I wasn't sure if it was worth that much money so didn't pull the trigger on. Great comparison!
I'd pull the trigger with that price!
Hello Mark. Just now getting to check this out, spent the day at a hospital where my mom was having a procedure done. But now I've poured a vintage 8 yr old and am nestling in to watch this
Hope your Mom is ok!! Ooh one of the special releases? Thanks Bobby and cheers bud🥃🥃🥃🥃
@@WhiskyWhistle no a 1981 bottle
@@bdp514am 🙀
First time i've seen your site Mark. Informative review, however i'd remark on the comparison to Macallan. Diageo clearly have rebranded and have raised there price point but their published main reason was that aged Talisker is in greater demand thanks to more people drinking it. The demand is now greater than production and therefore pricing increased to reflect that. I don't believe Diageo presents the 18, 25 or 30 YO Taliskers in the same league as the Macallan aged statements. They are worlds apart. I have both and IMO, the Talisker is my preferred across all aged statements of the Macallan core range. Great review non the less. Thanks.
Welcome! Thanks for watching! Interesting thoughts, but diehard fans are all pissed off to say the least. For issues you speak of, 10% or 20% price increase would be grumbled about but accepted. Double is a step too far imho. They could release a reasonable number of bottles per year until inventory catches up, and put out more special releases for the meanwhile.
Since the time you wrote, their plans to rebuild the distillery bigger have been announced. Hopefully the local government approves it. It would be nice if they could continue production simultaneously while the new still room is built to minimize work stoppage. They’re probably one of the bigger employers on Skye.
Cheers from Korea🥃🥃🥃🥃
Super interesting video! I love Talisker 18 and I was able to grab a couple of bottles recently. Pricey but worth it to my husband and me!! Delicious!! Wow I have never seen the Hunter Laing Hepburn! Great video Mark! Keep an eye out for the latest Offerman 11 aged for a time in rum casks! The Lagavulin smoke and slight taste of rum goes very well together even without being a rum fan. Cheers! 🙂
Hi Christine! Wow lucky! I hope you can find Hepburns Choice - usually very good to excellent stuff. I’ll watch out for new Lagavulin 11! Rum fan here! Cheers🥃🥃🥃🥃
a friend of mine with similar taste as I keeps raving about that Lagavulin. I still think I'd prefer last years offering with the heavy charred barrel, but I'm going to give it a try
Very nice video, and as a Talisker fanboy, well more than that an obsession with Talisker, I thought you were spot on with your assessments. I've often said and still believe, that Talisker 18 and Lagavulin 16 are the two regular releases that come closer than any to being perfect. I've had these bottles, perhaps not the exact vintage but similar bottles and would mostly concur with your assessments. I got a kick out of your kiss of peat comment, a decade ago, well maybe a decade and a half ago, this would be considered moderately heavy peated. I love the dichotomy in Talisker, the peat and pepper not really competing with, but contrasting the berries. I also have a particular fondness for younger bottles. There is someone livelier, though noticeably drier in a 7-9 year old Talisker, be it a vintage bottle like I poured or one of the current IBs that are out there. Thanks for the review. I certainly enjoyed it. Although I will take issue with the, there are better bottles out there comment :)
Also, I've never met a Talisker improved by water. Changed, absolutely and for some maybe for the better, but not for me. All it does is mute my favorite components
Great comments, Bobby! You’re right, it is hard to beat Talisker 18 - and wow it has been too long since I tried regular Lag 16 (9 years?) though I have the distillers edition which is a sweet peaty treat. But at $330 Canadian I’d probably opt for some indie bottles. Still some nice prices in USA though!
Haha definitely is moderately heavily peated so maybe dollop or wave of peat would have been a better phrase!
I’ve got to re review 10 year old as the prices in Korea for that bottle haven’t changed much in 10 years!
Cheers my friend🥃🥃🥃🥃