Talisker 08-year-old

Stunning dram. The rum casks adds a nice and complex sweetness to the maritime and peppery notes of the talisker spirit.

A very good whisky with a good feel of age and herbaceous finish notes. Excellent balance, base and ripe, despite the color, smoky fruity notes. 22 22 21.5 21.5

[September, 2020] It seems to be increasingly a nightmare to get hands on some of the bottles of Diageo's special releases from year to year, not to mention the ridiculous price increases (look at the price of last year's 12-years old Lagavulin compared to this year's). Finally I managed to get a bottle each of the somewhat affordable releases (and no, I will not buy the completely overpriced Mortlach or Dalwhinnie because I doubt they are worth the heavy bucks requested)... ...and this underaged Talisker offered at the price of a 20+years old is not worth of its bucks either! Good old Serge scored this dram astonishing 90 points (like the first 8-years old Talisker special release) but my olfactory cells and taste buds are too dull to get all these interesting details he mentions in his tasting note, most probably. To me this is not more than an average underaged dram with a very immature nose, a better but still simplistic taste and a good mouthfeel. And neither Serge nor I were able to detect any rum aromas in this dram - so if you like fresh and simple youngsters which are mainly driven by barley-mashy-peaty flavours this might be your dram (but you can buy other malts with such profiles much, much cheaper). By the way, several days later I had another dram after a fine Ardmore and the new 16-years old Laphroaig and to be honest: This Talisker really turned me down in this setting so I did not empty the dram and flushed it down the sink, not joking. So I advise to not have this one after excellent other whiskies unless you are pretty sure you like it...

This is definitely one of the worst whiskys I've tried in 2020. For this price I would have expected a lot more. Super comment by HS305 brings it right to the point.

Unfortunately, the called expectations not met. 71-80 – Fine, like to drink by time

Who conconted this sucker? Where is the rum, where the good casks you need to make an 8 yo work well? Thank goodness I was given a sample before buying a bottle blindly. A real money grab with what feels like leftover reject casks batched together at cask strength. 57 North is at least on par if not better, depending on the batch. Again, who at Diageo thought this to be worthy for a Special Release, and what is it with these depleted rum casks that don't work/show up in many cases such as this, Ardbeg Drum, Springer 15 Rum...?

The rum finish is hardly noticable: it reminded of other spirits like genever and mezcal rather than rum. Diageo had some balls though to bottle this lightly coloured and raw spirit. It is really different from other Taliskers, it deviated quite a lot from the 10, the 2020 DE, the 18 and the15 years old Special Release of 2019 I compared it to! Still, I liked the other Taliskers much better so I won't buy a full bottle of this.

The nose starts out very creamy and vanilla with associations of strawberry yoghurt. It is very present in the mouth, creamy and at the same time peppery-tingling, sweet and spicy. In the finish it literally explodes in a flood of ash and chocolate, briefly tropical fruits flash before the oak takes over again, chocolatey and spicy and fades away for a long time. Length: 8/10 Grandiose, opulent, untamed Talisker, worlds better than the 57 North, especially the finish that is convincing. Grade: 2+

White wine, seaweed, smoked pineapples with sizzled barbecue sauce, and ash all drenched in sea water. Plus, white and black pepper, mint gum, roasted salted peanuts, and some flowers. I like it and think it's worth its MSRP price, but I'm not convinced it's "better" than their standard 10, merely "differently good".

hard to find rum cask, and it's really over spicy. 84/100

Despite the age of eight years, the whisky is quite mature and well balanced, sweet-salty, peppery, with signature features of the Talisker distillery, harmoniously tinted with hints of Caribbean rum.

Nose: 90 marine peat, saline and iodized. Vanilla wood, motor oil, brake pads, oysters, wet rock and candied citrus fruits. It's young, clean, powerful and terribly addictive. What balance! Mouth: 90 broad with a smoky, round and spicy attack, notes of chalk and lemons and a saline and iodized finesse. Gorgeous and carefree. I adore! Finish: 89 beautiful, delicious, peppery and spicy length. Sour and salty without any false notes. A whisky that allows a sumptuous distillate enhanced by rum wood to express itself for a very pure, delicate and deep sensation. Whisky tasted without water.

Tasted on January 17, 2024. A trickier talisker, lousy plv.

Aroma - salty, super mineral, smoky new make, green veggies. Taste - green fruits and veggies, smoky, salty, peaty with long new make finish. Very spirit forward Talisker

After a break of 5 years (2013-2018), Talisker has now been part of the Diageo Special Releases again for three straight years. Having tried all of them, I can say that all bottlings are different in their profiles and use of casks, which I think is a good thing. While lots of malt lovers are torn between last year´s 15-year-old and 2018´s 8-year-old, I agree with the majority that this one is the weakest bottling of the bunch. However, it is still a decent whisky and a different Talisker to all other available bottlings. Yes it´s pricy, but it´s worth a try.

Direct comparison with the 8-year-old Talisker 2018. In blind tasting I would have guessed a young Caol Ila. This bottling has strong smoke and peat notes for a talisker. The rum finish cannot be seen.

Nose: sweet, greasy, maritime, vanillin, pear, banana, somewhat brackish and ashtray Palate: sweet - almost sticky, vanillin, mashed bananas, some bacon, slightly brackish, metallic underneath Finish: short, some smoke, banana, musty, something of the chilli catch, becomes metallic Rating: phew, no, but not at all: artificial (vanillin instead of vanilla, you have to get that right first), sweet, banana slush and metallic undertones. Quite a disaster and that for the price ... A clear recommendation for people who also like Bubbletea, dish soap or condoms with a fruit flavor! 64/100 or 2/10

Clearly rum cask, even some esters, though not a perfect combination for me

I don't know what the Caribbean rum has added, but Talisker on barrel revolutions, it's just a bomb!

S 6 Revisiting it after more than a year, still not a fan of it. Had this H2H with the 15yo SR 2019 and Talisker 25yo 2017. I marked this as not my typical Talisker. Peat is more pronounced in this while the smoke is suppressed. Still peppery but at the same time there's some artificial sweetening vibe. It's counter-productive in the sense that it renders this to become more like something from Southern Islay. 81-85 - Another dram welcomed, if I put my expectations aside

Rather light, dark straw color. Oily whisky.

Pffffff he burns your throat out

After the first reviews, I initially lowered my expectations. After tasting the sample, I like it better than expected. A strong Talisker, but in the end you can feel the youth especially in the mouth - and I can't really see any rum barrel influence here. With a view to the price and in comparison to the Talisker 15J SR 2019, as a Talisker fan I have to say that the PLV does not fit here (even if it is quite tasty regardless of the PLV) and a purchase with a view to the ones still available Talisker 15J SR 2019 not worth it. The mentioned Talisker from SR 2019 is in my opinion the much better choice despite the slight surcharge.

Sweet and smokey. Not too much rum-influence, but a nice sipper non the less. Young and feisty Talisker. Tasted next to the 15-year-old from last year, which is rounder and less in your face but not miles above in my book

artificial, sticky-sweet, metallic. an absolute disaster

A really nice Talisker with a distinct smoke, nice flavor and great sweetness as a contrast. Only the price doesn't quite fit for an 8-year-old malt.

As is so often the case, the influence of the rum barrel is only discreetly perceptible and is reflected in the sugary sweetness that suggests something exotic here. The smoke is Talisker-like but remains largely pale. On the palate one notices his youth particularly. The finish is characterized by pure bitterness - 12/29/2021

In contrast to the two previous years, this special release is remarkably bad. And who would have guessed that it would get worse the following year ... The nose is mainly determined by the very clearly perceptible alcohol and a potpourri of light, fermented and rotten fruits behind the smoke. On the palate, this bottling reconciles a bit, which the Special Release 2021 was no longer able to do.

Peat smoke, ash, dried orange peel, roasted hazelnuts, mineral, somewhat maritime, malty, rhubarb. Somewhat lively and unbalanced, medium body, appealing texture, good intensity.

Talisker Session: 2022.09.07. https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/159353/talisker-08-year-old 85+ https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/45206/talisker-2002 86- https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/199187/talisker-25-year-old 87+ https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/197827/talisker-25-year-old 88+ https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/94143/talisker-30-year-old 92- https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/3034/talisker-25-year-old 93+

Clear, light golden colour. Light oiliness.

Somewhat uneven, the rum finish is barely noticeable, no typical Talisker characteristics are recognizable.

I didn't notice the rum finish at all. Drinkable, but way overpriced.

Nose：Pungent alcohol，Salty，Pickled fish，Metal，New Make，A few minerals，Talisker Iconic sulfur，Finally, it evolved into foul piss，I can't write anymore...... Drink：I thought he would hurt my mouth，But he didn't，Oily，finish have a little Fruit Sugus，And then Salty，Pickled fish，Metal..... Overall：I need to leave

The Talisker has not lost its typical character even with a Rum Cask finish. Slightly maritime, with a nice chilli heat. The finish gives it a great sweet note, which, together with the smoke, reminds of BBC spare ribs. A bit expensive for 8 years, but still a delicious whisky.

S 6 The nose at first can be quite medicinal but quickly transformed to smoke fruit and pleasant molasses sweetness. Doesn’t taste like cask strength, quite smooth on palate and finish. Obviously overpriced with the tags of "first rum cask for Talisker" and "Special Release". N 23 At first, quite some iodine Smoke fruit Rum cask influenced molasses sweetness A hint of marine time influence at the back very mild citrusy Vanilla at the back P 25 Talisker peppery smoke Sea breeze saltiness Malt sweetness hiding behind F 24 Mid, dry, peppery finish A handful of Smoke meat Oak lingering

Not getting it. Not getting it. Since Diageo changed its special releases and made everything look the same and themed all the releases, it’s safe to say I think they’ve lost some of the magic. (Just a guess but did they do this to drive the seriously deranged collector to collect the whole release? Feels like it to me). They feel more like an exercise in stuffing the coffers than actually offering up something actually special - come on, it;s not just me thinking this. Prices, too, have been pushed to new, giddy heights and it’s this release that it’s actually felt most keenly in. An 8 year old cask strength for £90 (you almost have to read that twice it's so bizarre), on paper it’s a hard sell in my book. It would take a pretty exceptional and exciting juice to make me hand over the readies and to be honest, and this just isn’t that. On the nose (its spicy) and there’s a strange bitter citrus along with a very pronounced Rum Agricole whiff and lemon rinds and toffee and brine. Puffs of smoke and seashores breeze in. There’s a slight woody bitterness. Some dry pepperiness and banana skins and some rotten pineapple. A little fruit syrup from a can. The rum influence it pronounced. It’s very ho-hum rather than yum yum. This is like meeting someone at a party and deciding you’re not impressed and already wondering how to excuse yourself from the conversation before you waste you whole night talking to someone you don’t give two hoots about. Oof. That sounds harsh. In the mouth and it’s fiery, youthful, sweet and well swathed in the rum influence. There’s a woodiness that is surpassed by a salty brine which in turn reverts back the the rum note. There’s citrus peel and pith in the mix too. It’s ok. I’m scrambling about to think of something to lift this whisky in my estimations but its a tall order. I’m just not that taken with it. Too young. Too unbalanced. Too expensive. A heavy handed rum overcoat that swamps everything. Urgh. What is going on at Diageo, these days? It’s a pity because Talisker is a great whisky, this is not up for discussion, and you just know it’s capable of better for less that what’s on offer here. As an analogy - I sadly watched Thor Love & Thunder last night. That film really is like this whisky. The hype promised a lot. The industry and the shills promoted it as some great flic but the reality could not have been further from the shiny PR message. Just like this Talisker, it was almost unrecognisable from the things that had come before. It lacked the heart and soul that was expected. It felt lumped together, messy and, in no way, justified the budget. If you're going to do something new, make it good as well.

B: 24 N: citrus, vanilla, salt, pepper, floral, smoke, peat. Maritime, smoky and complex. 23 P: vanilla, sugarcane, spice, salt, smoke, citrus. Sweet and salty. 22 F: vanilla, spice, salt, smoke. Long, spicy and smoky. 23 Tasted on Whisky Live TLV. The same lovely profile of Talisker but much more sweet, intense and deep

saline, meaty, smoked paprika, peppery, peat. its is a good whisky and would love to use it in a cocktail.

Young sweet and smokey

Tasted along with other Special Releases Taliskers, from 2018-2023.

RATING: 84pts – |83 – 86 (B) → Good| — Not a “must”, but a nice-to-have.

21/21/21/21

This version of the 8yo version is such a sleeker and very pleasant smokehouse

To tell you the truth, I was rather hesitant about this sample. League average, I'd say, and obviously a relatively young single malt by taste. And like some others here (and Serge), I couldn't find anything that would allow me to blindly identify the rum finish. Perhaps - untraditional for Talisker - those notes of fruit in the aftertaste after adding water? Hard to say... (Rated based on a sample, in preparation for a tasting I led at Angels' Share in January 2022.)

Ah, why does this smell similar to Smokey Scott? In a moment of panic, I opened the vial that had the size of a snot and sniffed the scent. Talisker 8cs is slightly less Even compared to Tally 10, it feels like a floral character is buried in the feet. It's also very sweet. It smells like white sugar added to the feet. The taste of ulala is very smooth. The body feels very light. The floral seems to go over, but it comes right into a pit finish. Do you feel like eating a light tangerine next to a grilled firewood and eating a smoked barbecue right away? It's been a long time and it was good. feeling a little raw Tally 10 is a legend. This is why I prefer Laproic 10 over quokka, which extracts smokey well. Is it natural to see that Koribrekhan is preferred over Ugadal? It seems like you want a supporting role or a co-star rather than the main character.

Smoky but with alittle funk. Licorice and brine.

updated my notes after around 3 years in the open bottle .. tested this whisky against the 233698

A good bottling that impresses with its nose and taste. From my point of view, the finish here makes sense. The distillery character of Talisker is beautifully complemented by the aromas from the barrel. Unfortunately, the one-sided finish ruins the overall impression a little and prevents a better score.

Another bottle, same bad experience, possibly the worst of the annual special releases, very sad((( 19 20 20 20 79

This is probably the bottling that most have been looking forward to. It is the first Talisker to be finished on Caribbean rum barrels. I confess... That's a strange but intriguing nose. Talisker's DNA is present, don't get me wrong, but is largely 'wrapped' by sweet notes from the rum barrels. Almost as if Talisker's seawater was replaced by sugar water. There's something savoury about it, like meat on the barbecue. But it's okay. Immediately honeysweet and spicy on the palate. Vanilla, rum and citrus fruit with a few drops of soy sauce, a lot of pepper and a nice smokiness. Something of camphor and chillies in the (rather short) aftertaste. Yes, this one is going to sell like sweet cupcakes, no doubt about it. But... I thought the 8-year-old of 2018 was a lot better.

n: hint of smoke, vanilla, iodine, honey, marine time, metalic t: sweet, full, caramel, warming - woow a: smoke, warming, vanilla, rewarding

Bittersweet grilled fish with brown sugar, seaweeds, caramel and black pepper. RATING: 84pts - [n21,t22,f20,b21] → |83-85: Decent|

beautiful whisky

- extremely light color, light white wine - a very intense, already quite smoky bottling - taste clearly behind the 8 years of 2018 and the 15 years from 2019! - tends to be one of the worse specials Editions from Talisker - from the fact that it is stored downstream in the rum barrel you don't notice anything - Reminiscent of Caol Ila due to the strong, cold smoke aroma - I would not buy it again as a whisky to drink

Sea salt, citrus fruits, quite sweet for a Talisker. Maritime, just like you would expect it to be. Olives, yum. Tropical fruits in the form of pineapple and bananas. Kiwi. Butter. A little meaty, a little savoury. Quite spicy with only a hint if smoke, and very fruity. It can take a fair bit of water, though just a few drops elevate this into something really special. Not sure I can detect the rum influence other than in the enhanced sweetness, but it's a lovely Talisker regardless. Yes, it is pricey. But damn, is it an adventure in the glass!

It's not uncomfortable and spicy compared to alcohol intensity, the vile taste of young spirits, common fruit and vanilla

a solid and round malt who is almost obliging OK for me but at the prices not a purchase candidate

The aroma is pungent, alcoholic, heavy smoke. Sulphurous shades - burnt matches, ash, coals, etc. Salt crystals, dried grass. The taste is sweet, powerfully alcoholic, peppery. Green banana, ripe papaya, pepper and salt. Long and soft aftertaste, sulfur remains on the tongue.

where is rum?

not sure why people are disappointed, wilder than the 10 year old, but also in a nice way as it has more oomph, nice sweetness and more smoke, ok, not a bargain at 90€ but the taste itself is very good... anything below 87/88 probably takes the price into account, which distorts the whole base... my view.

Jura, thank you Diageo for another monument of the well-marketed, not even average drops. Sharp, one-dimensional and far too young. Thanks for far too little at this price

As for the age of eight, a very good option, clearly better than the regular 10-ki 22-22-21.5-22

- follows - In short: typical Talisker (strong as a barrel) with tropical hints (vanilla, white chocolate, exotic fruits and coconut)

20 20 19 20 79 Young, simple, strong, ok, nothing bad, but ... You can drink but not need, what's the point ?, hmm ... it's sad again ... modern Talisker, why do this?

... this 8 year old is very good and has no off-flavors - compared to the special release 2018, however, it is a huge step backwards .... With a lot of benevolence I give it 1 point more than the Talisker 10 years old - but at around € 95 it is clearly too expensive!

Nice thing.

Very different and unorthodx. Perhaps one of the most interesting whiskies I have ever tasted. While chewing, it kind of divides in 2 different whiskies and each one goes its own way. One is the typcal peated Talisker, and the other one is a fresh-woody raisinous whisky. The rum casks add a prickling touch to the entire experience. Worth trying for sure.

An extremely briny-spirity example of Talisker, which I can’t say is as much to my taste as more rounded examples. The brine and pepper are extreme - where the 2021 release felt like it lacked Talisker character, this feels almost like an overdose. There’s complexity, but also a youthful character that I’m not in love with.

Sea, breeze, molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, citrus, tropical fruits, a little herbal, intense.

Rum there ain't much of, so it doesn't live up to expectations. That said, this is a good Talisker regardless.

The rum barrel is not felt in the smell and taste.

A classic case when the expectations were much higher than the reality. Nicely balanced, but young (and somewhat immature) Talisker, which has neither flaws nor any peculiarities. Just an ordinary peaty whisky, which is hugely overpriced as for the quality.

Hint of leather, toffee, candied fruits, coastal peat, not bad at all

A very interesting whisky, an atypical palette of derivatives, perfectly balanced various derivatives, forming a single three-part canvas with a dark and raw aroma, turning suddenly into a juicy and sweet taste and ending with a light and sour finish, and all this is still heavily seasoned with peat, plastic, salt and other exotic .

A bottle that has greatly benefited from lots of time open. Felt like it really hits it’s sweet spot about half way through. The rum sweetness is subtle and doesn’t take too much of anything away from the trademark Talisker pepper and peatiness. Refreshing to get a young Talisker at full proof and seemingly not too doctored by colouring or watering down. Bought for $120 CAD, which works out to about £75. So my opinion is probably not as jaded as others who likely paid more for it.

On the nose: a sweet peat leads proceedings, less coastal and more confectionery. Sugary, brown toast, candy floss and rock candy. With time some bacon elements and heather but surprisingly non-Talisker. In the mouth: a rather confused palate. The sweetness of the peat now feels unbalanced and confused. There’s a clash. Some apples, brown sugar and salty in parts. Grapefruit and a zesty lime but this is the most un-Talisker Talisker I’ve had in memory.

19+21+20+20

punky, smoky

I was originally planning to give it an 86, but I accidentally took a big gulp and it made me feel unwell.

A vibrant, sweet, spicy, and smoky whisky with plenty of punch. I detect sweet notes of fruit and brown sugar, some intense smoke, the heat of ground pepper and chili, as well as hints of orange peel and salty, maritime tones. Unmistakably a Talkisker to me, and the unusually pronounced sweetness also reveals the rum finish. Intense and expressive on the palate, yet remarkably smooth on the finish. The 58% alcohol is very well integrated. Overall, I find this whisky to be a great success.

young and primitive - unacceptable for the price

Overall, a decent whisky in the 40 euro price range, or because of the high alcohol content also 50 euro price range. But for what is called for, about 100 euros, a cheek. If the price would influence my point allocation, I would have to subtract 2 points. And actually 2 more, because the expected finish is not really noticeable. But the review is written as if I didn't know any of this.

It's pretty good. The full and rich body is a highlight, but I just don't understand why Serge rushed to give a 90 in the first place?

The alcohol and youth are quite present in the nose. Then some flowers appear. Geranium? Quite pungent in the mouth. Water brings out the flowers again, but more like the liquid inside a vase. I do like Talisker, but not this one.

Taste it tonight, my friend opened a bottle. I liked that the character of Talisker shines trough. The whisky itself: citrus, salty and offcorse the pepper. The casks did round of the spirit but not too much. I love it when Talisker is like it is and I applaud them for that. Hope they do bring this more and also in the core range. ps. Talisker is expensive, not only the OB but also IB, so I think €80 is a fair price for this Talisker.

You can clearly smell the rum casks, icing sugar, cane syrup, vanilla, and candied rhubarb. Behind it, a wisp of smoke, like straw fire, and blond tobacco. It's quite pastry-like, reminiscent of crème anglaise and sponge cake. With the addition of water, it leans towards apple, becoming cider-like, almost compote-like. On the palate, it lacks a bit of complexity but is sweet and smooth. Then the spices rise, and it's strong: chili, cumin, red bell pepper. Once the spices subside a little, it's quite good and warming. The finish is again very aggressive, quite long, with apple, vanilla, rough wood, nutmeg, and beetroot. I understand that there are reservations, that said the small flaws I found are more or less the same as in the previous 8-year-old model. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2021/05/talisker-8-yo-special-release-2020.html

It's not bad. But no comparison to the Special Release 2021. Worlds in between. And once again it shows that I'm just not a fan of rum cask finishes. I think the rum cask gives the whisky a tangy note. On the nose I still like it quite well with its sweet pepper note. Even if the alcohol is quite dominant. But in the mouth it gets very spritty, even slightly metallic in the finish, youthfully bitter. Despite "only" 57.9%, it is significantly more alcoholic than the 2021 release with 59.7%. For me it was unfortunately not a "special cask".

82/85/85/84

It is sweeter than regular Talisker products, but the alcohol stimulation is a bit strong

Oily yet thin, varnish and citrus bomb

What a letdown. This is one of these cases where 2 cl is more than enough and I'll be happily giving away the remainder of my 5 cl sample.

Rum cask is no no.

20cl sample

Alcohol: 57.9% Aroma: Sea salinity, overripe to rotten fruit, smokyness, earthiness. Warm, a little medical. (87 b) Taste: Sweetness, salinity, tar, heavier fruitiness, unfortunately in the aftertaste and bitterness. That bitter spoils it unnecessarily. (85 b) Points: 86/100 Summary: Tasted at the Whisky Festival 2021 in Malá Morávka. It wasn't until the tasting that I noticed that it was Caribbean Rum Cask Finish. Well, it never bodes well, rum barrels usually don't show whisky, which has been confirmed again.

I was surprised just how much the rum influence stood out on this Diageo special release from 2020. The cask endowed this Talisker a much deeper, fruitier profile than one typically finds among the typical coastal citrus. The classic pepper spice was still present but mainly appeared as a finale through to the finish as maritime notes and pepper sat on the palate. While this was not the most complex dram, it was a tasty and bold affair. The flavors popped, and the sweet tropical fruits that hit the palate first contrasted nicely against the slightly acrid notes near the end. The viscosity on this was excellent, and I enjoyed the weight of the dram on the palate. It had a real presence throughout.