Talisker The Wild Explorador

Solidly fleshy and maritime in the nose, but then metallically young and immature in the mouth. A 40 euro experiment, you shouldn't have to pay more for it.

I'm not a fan of Talisker... This overpriced NAS whisky smells very meaty, sea saltiness, something sour like cheap wine + at the same time creamy sweetness at the end. The taste is like a typical young Talisker, smoky sweet, but for example I hardly feel the influence of the Port barrel except for the taste of sour candies at the very end. I was absolutely not blown away by this whisky…

typical young Talisker, the sea salt in your face, more salty and meaty than 10yo, same strong as the storm, you can feel the spiciness on the good side. Not much port influence felt, only the first touch on your tongue. lastly, overpriced lol.

For me it's definitely the highlight of this year's special releases.

This single malt has a real Talisker profile, which I normally like. But I am not a fan of finishing or maturation in Port casks so this is not a whisky for me.

Yesterday evening I enjoyed a dram of this with my father. We both really enjoyed this, however, it followed WT Rare Breed, so cask strength Talisker had an easy task of showing up the middling bourbon. Today, on its on out of a glencairn, it's not showing quite as well. As noted, a drop of two of water seems to improve this dram across the board. I find Talisker 10 to be a consistently fun pour for a front-line distillery bottling, so seeing this cask strength release was a fun opportunity.

On the palate, it is a journey. Initial waves of honey and vanilla give way to hints of dark chocolate, orange peel, and baking spices, finishing with a hint of tobacco and maritime salt.

way too artificial repelling

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2023/11/09/whisky-show-2023-highlands-islands/ C: The port influence is clear though underlying [bourbon?] maturation also has a firm grip. All is well, but is this worthy of ‘Special Release’ status and the subsequent pricing? You decide. The choice, currently, is one bottle of this or three bottles of the standard 10 [of which a full and very positive bottle review is coming to these pages soon].

Not too bad on the nose, I don't like the leathery notes in the finish

Intense, but seems “artificial” to me. Extremely dry in the mouth.

For the fans of Port Ruige.

All things dark: smoke, burnt caramel, lots of dark fruits, and a strong whiff of the sea. A few drops of water really open this up, without detracting from its heft. Was lucky and found this on Black Friday sale at Amazon at 55 GBP, which would bump the score into the low 90s if it were the standard price.

21.5+22+21.5+22

Salty, marine, iodized. Licorice, but not too flashy. Spices. Licorice is felt more strongly in the taste. Lots of ash, spices again. Nice, but without any development. I wouldn't blindly guess port wine here. He is too young and aggressive.

aroma: dense, rounded, salt, dark fruit, berries taste: soft, smooth, wine, strawberry I miss the smokiness, but on the other hand it's sweet after all those barrels

Nose -86 Taste 90 Finish -88

I like Talisker, but this protrusion is not worth the price for which it can be purchased. For a bottle of NAS, way too much. I do not buy. I will wait until the middle of next year and buy it for €100, the same price as the 11 YO issue from last year.

N: The nose starts rather subdued with maritime notes and something of pickled meat. But also finger paint, plasticine and mushrooms. Atypical, but special. S: The classic Talisker Trinity (salt, pepper, peat) is definitely present on the tongue. This is beautifully veiled by a sweetness from the port barrels. But they do not dominate at all, so the taste of the malt can be described as typical and we can only be happy about that. Tasty! F: The finish is particularly maritime with hints of ship's rope and a fishing boat chugging past. The sweetness is also present here. C: A nice variation on this classic.

Aging in ex-port barrels (ruby, white and tawny) Color: light amber Very good, the best of the evening together with Roseisle.

Salty, smoky, peat, lacks some variety

Marine aroma with notes of salty and mineral breeze. Smoke and salt, some smoky notes. Seaweed. Mineral on the palate with a smoky hint of campfire. Salty spicy aftertaste with a toffee trail

Quite good, however the Talisker is covered with port. A lot of sherries, grapes, tartness and sweeteners, pepper. Good and tasty!

Aroma: marine, mineral, white hard candy, apricots, cherries, chocolate, sour cherries, salty stones Taste: marine, mineral, licorice, red fruits, smoky, Finish: marine, smoky Rating: 4

Scent: In the nose I immediately perceive smoke, along with salt, wet wood and fresh citrus zest; with a little time, honey and ripe pear appear, followed by pepper and charred oak; the port wine finish brings a restrained dark fruit, some plum, red berries and a hint of grape. Taste: Oily and powerful on the start, initially toffee and light fruit, then salt, pepper and peat smoke develop, a noticeable chili heat and dry oak spice build up, the port wine notes complement with dark currant, some raisin and a hint of dark chocolate. Finish: Quite short, smoke and black pepper linger, along with sea salt and a touch of licorice. Conclusion: In a blind tasting, I wouldn't have guessed that port wine casks were involved. The finish is too subtle and blends very unobtrusively into the overall profile. Only when you know that port wine was used can the dark berry and light raisin notes be more clearly identified. Overall, the basic profile remains dominant; smoke, salt, and pepper define the character, with the port wine note merely providing a background element. Definitely a great whisky for Talisker fans.

Good whisky that doesn’t lean on the ex-Port casks, but doesn’t shy away from it either.

Example of a multi-billion corporation f*cking with us. Imagine a garbage 650L port cask pumped with good Talisker distillate being sold for 100K USD. That's the cost to those that bought a bottle.

Full review... https://www.idrinkscotch.com/post/talisker-duo

Simple in all respects 21-21.5-21.5-21

Nose: Sweetness, port, sweetness, port, and even more sweetness and port. In the background a hint of salt and smoked notes. Taste: Still very sweet, candies, fruits, fruit sorbet, bacon, fresh green fruits, a hint of coffee and vanilla. Finish: Medium length with notes of pineapple-flavored candies and salt.

Another bottle, I have the same impression, youth kills all the good things I tried to find in this whisky, I'm not saying it's bad, but...

The scent has a very intuitive port cask scent similar to that of Quintaruban. The nut flavor is dominant, but a slight plastic flavor of rum sometimes passes through. You can't smell the peat scent, but when you take a sip, it comes out weakly on your palette, but gradually becomes more prominent as the other scents fade away. The taste is spicy, perhaps due to the high proportion of European oak, and has a slightly bitter aftertaste. I think there will be strong likes and dislikes because of the quite spicy and bitter taste. You may need to drink it over time to see if the spiciness and bitterness disappear. However, although it is a finished product, it has a strong port cask character from the scent, but the peat is weak, so even people who dislike peat can enjoy it.

"But if you get a discount, Talisker CS is 100,000 won..." Honestly, the quality is much more disappointing than SR2022 Jellyfish. It changed from the existing bourbon cask aged for 11 years to all kinds of jjambbong cask finishing and nas. There are quite a few unpleasant notes mixed in, so it feels closer to drinking Talisker CS, which is hard to find, rather than the very pleasant, high-cost-effective Hyeja Dosirak SR. The buzz is also quite strong, and there is an unknown meaty note mixed in, so I wonder what this is. If it is sold again for around 60,000 won this year or next year, I think I will buy a bottle again, but I am very hesitant about anything more than that.

Salty sea breeze character and port cask mix well with a result you get a flavourful,experience. High AbV needs water to draw out sweet vanilla caramel, dark berries, peaty nutty, peppery finish.

Young, strong whisky, lots of charred barrels, but overall a simple, good winter dram! 20 21 20 20 81

Nose...hoppa...unmistakable...Talisker.

Simple Review Open 20214.11.03

For what it’s worth The last few years has been a right rollercoaster in WhiskyLand, prices have shot up across the board almost everywhere, new distilleries have been arriving at a speed to make you giddy, world whisky has come of age-ish and the secondary market has had some mighty peaks and troughs and the whisky faithful have weathered it all. But we have our limits and the one that is most sensitive to change is price. There’s always a line in the sand that once it’s crossed punters become thin on the ground and bottles become stubbornly welded to retail shelves. This past 6 months has seen the line crossed and market corrections are now under way. The slowdown is here and retailers are now getting the jitters with a few crazy discounts already raising eyebrows and smiles amongst the whisky buyers. The one that really put the blood in the water for me was a retailer via Amazon discounting Diageo brands - Lagavullin Distillers Edition 2022 from £100 down to £32. You read that right, £32. Needless to say I had a few. And the big discounts are continuing, just a week ago another Diageo brand had an axe taken to it to clear some stubborn inventory. The 2023 ‘Wild Explorer’ special release from Talisker. A triple port finished cask strength NAS whisky brutally slashed from £110 down to £54. Years ago these releases flew off the shelves, now it’s takes, what seems like almost insane discount to get then moving. But the thing is, 10 years ago a release like this NAS Talisker wouldn’t have been pegged at £110. It would have been half the price, sold out and talked about and shared by happy whisky bods. They get a few bottles, they share them, they’d cherish them. They above all enjoy them and feel good about the brand and Diageo Special Releases and look forward to next years release. How times change, eh? So, to this Talisker. Price aside, let’s get it up my nose. Mmmmm, sweet candied fruits, rich salted toffee, gingerbread, chewy fruit leather, for something clocking in at a stonking 59.7% abv it’s got almost no alcohol prickle, you’d struggle to peg it at anything over 50%. (As it warms up in a glass the volume does become more apparent). The port notes are easily apparent and merge seamlessly with the coastal brine and sweet peat notes. Like a marvellously magical rock pool full of Port, peat, seawater, toffee, malty whisky and vanilla - not a bad smell in my book. There’s also a gentle sour note that stops things getting too sweet and cloying, some plum jam envelops a chunk of pickled ginger. If anything the nose is a little shy in coming forward but it’s all there. Nice but not amazing in any way. In the mouth and the arrival is sweet, salty, a little bitter, spicy, peaty, and ashy. There’s a lot happening in a very short space of time. They port is there right at the front but it gets to play second fiddle to an almost bitter and brine wood note, think salt blasted burnt driftwood. There’s a bitterness like fennel seed and pine ash, black almost unsweetened liquorice, a spoonful of really black tea and maybe just too much heat and spice. Some of it is coming from the wood, some of it is coming from the youth and abv. In fact, the stonking abv that slipped under the radar on the nose is far more apartment on the palate. It brings slight numbness to the inside of the lips, a tingle. I find myself wondering whether this would be more enjoyable if they’d bottled it nearer 48% juts to turn down that numbing effect and realise more of the flavours in that port finish? I think so. I mean, if you’re going to the efforts of using 3 distinctly different port casks why not allow them to shine a little more. In fact, I’d argue a little longer in those barrels would have been a great move. Another 6-12 months just to tun it all up to 11 could have been really interesting. Talisker is a big boy distillate, it could have handled it, IMO. So. Any good? Ok, back to the top. At £54, yes, it’s good for £54. For £69 it would be good too. But £110 (and I’ve seen it for £130). Not a chance. Put this up against something like. Bruichladdich Micro Provenace release whisk is about the same price, the same abv AND comes with an age statement and it really starts to struggle. Diageo know they have overpriced they’re stuff, especially with their special releases, now the pigeons are coming home to roost and the choice is going to be readjust those prices and get whisky buys back on side and back drinking their whiskies or get used to bottles remaining on those shelves permanently. I know what I’d do if I was them. For what I paid it’s a great little whisky. For what they think it’s worth, unfortunately not.

What an extreme disappointment. Nice front flavour, no backbone whatsoever.

Not your typical Talisker peat. Has probably faded a bit. Distillate is kind of dark, maybe like baked biscuits. However, on 2nd or 3rd tasting just a few minutes apart, there is a sweetness, fruity flavor and aftertaste that adds to the complexity. High rating for me. My 2nd open bottle. First one down to very little. But tastes the same. Apparently a combination of ports. Ruby, white and tawny. I actually don't care what was in the casks before, other than I have been burned by "bad" port before, but this is really good.

I like port i like Talisker, but i am not impressed with this...

Aroma - super salty and maritime smoke, white raisins, vanilla cream. Taste - strong, salty sea smoke, sweet, vegetal, and white fruits. Finish - long, salty, smoky, vegetal. Simple but well balanced, very drinkable, strong dram

Nice full mouthfeel, less intense in the mouth than the 2024. Nice drips on the glass. Color gold/yellow. The port flavor is partly masked by the powerful character of Talisker but still shines through slightly. Just a little smokier than the 2024. Especially on the taste and finish. Complexity: 85 Intensity: 88

Upon opening, the whisky presents a distinct rubber aroma. On the palate, it evokes the sensation of savory cheesecake, with a perfectly balanced interplay of salty and sweet flavors that makes it hard to stop sipping. Layered fruit and sweet notes emerge on the tongue, adding depth and richness to the overall mouthfeel. Initially, I tasted it neat in small sips, experiencing a clear alcoholic bite on the tip of the tongue. I then tried alternating with a sip of water or pairing with 90% dark chocolate, which helped balance the salty-sweet interplay. Adding two drops of water produced little change。 Additionally, the whisky exhibits a subtle marine/seafood character, adding a unique coastal complexity and making the overall flavor profile more distinctive.

Overall, not very salty for a young Talisker. The smoke mainly comes through the nose. Sufficiently complex and pleasant, everything very subtle.

It is a typical Talisker style, with a sweet enough flavor that is quite pleasing

The smoothness of port, complicated by a seductive, smoky character. Red grapes, plums, melting chocolate. Fresh figs. Smoked ham. Pomegranate seeds. Heather soil. Perhaps a touch of iodine and hints of the sea. Silky palate, full of coffee, pepper and cumin, dark chocolate. Peat in the background. Long and powerful finish, damp bark, more chocolate and spices, shoe polish, nutmeg, earthy highlights, vegetal notes, forest floor. To be honest, it's still very good, and above all, very well made. The port pairs beautifully with the peat, which seems more pronounced than usual. It's very fruity and yet profound. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2024/07/talisker-special-release-2023-wild.html

It has a moderate smokiness and a pleasant aroma; it has a high alcohol content but a smooth taste and is very salty.

It does smell a bit astringent, with black pepper, slight cream, and a strong salty taste in the mouth. The pepper is still obvious, slightly numb, and has no aftertaste...

This raises many questions in the mind of the whisky drinker: “Why did you write (3 different) Port on the label?”, “Why did you include such a ridiculous, opaque, age-indicated, price-performance ratio-chance-less, and uninspired bottle in a series that could finally win the appreciation of whisky lovers?”, “What is your problem with Talisker?” These are some of them. As can be easily understood, these questions are almost always directed at Diageo. While the water might be somewhat effective, it doesn't change the fact that it can't stand on its own. In my opinion, it's a bottling that nobody would notice if it weren't there; theoretically interesting, but in reality, it hasn't crossed the line of superfluity. Price-performance ratio: Low Would I buy it again?: Trying it was more than enough, no.

5cl sample / glencairn In the nose, you can hear frankly young notes of distillate, light acetone. I'm afraid that 3-6-year-old spirits went into the mix. Then gradually appear sea cabbage, kimchi, cigarette ash, lemon cookies, vanilla, apple covered with caramel, currants. The impact of the port is insignificant. It is easy to drink, as for such a degree. But the taste is indistinct. The aftertaste is good, average. Sour in the aftertaste. It got better the next day (the second half of the sample). Notes of biscuit appeared, pleasant malt notes. Whisky became more rounded after oxidation. But the "greenness" is still felt in the taste. In general, it is vague and young. But still there are pleasant sides.

A decent dram, but the alcohol is a little too aggressive - you can't really savour it as he keeps trying to slap you in the face. Worth a dram, probably not an entire bottle.

Pleasant sweet smoke, strong, expressive, sharp. Vanilla, chili, honey, pepper, red berry fruit, a little unpleasant bitterness in the aftertaste. A good whisky.

Talisker Wild Explorador Special Release 2023, 59.7%. 30ml sample from a TSE tasting box, consumed July 2025. Dark golden. Aroma is buttery, minerally and spiced. Sandy with some seared green pepper. Burnt metal pan, steely and flinty. A faint citrus note, play-doh too – or clay. An interesting aroma – I was once in a food market and they were cooking up peppers in a rotating steel drum over an open fire, and that’s what this evokes for me. Body is watery-plus. Taste is salty and simple, chilli flake salt over a softly sweet vanilla background. Drinks pretty easily at 60% - the first sip was firewater (as first of the night) but from the second it was relaxed. Not very complex though. The port cask influence is subtle, which is a good thing. NAS but doesn’t drink young at all. 3.45/82 With water to around 53%. The aroma is more expansive but less complex – more buttery. Body is watery. Taste is better now – nicely minerally, white fish in butter sauce, touch of grapefruit bitterness, lingering oak and flint. Very solid at this ABV. Not delivering much on the aroma and not much body, but has an enjoyable flavour profile. Don’t think I’d gain anything from adding any more water. 3.525/84

I really enjoyed this whisky from the 23 Special Release series. A good smoky note, nice saltiness and the port wine-barrel combination is successful. However, the price for this NAS bottling is too high, as with all of the new series from Diageo!

Dedicated to lovers of truly dry whisky! A greyhound, angular whisky that clearly cries out for water. With water, the farm and fruit are revealed, the whisky becomes more readable and drinkable. 21 21.5 20 20

Skittles Overboard! ne of the weakest whiskies I have poured lately. I hate to be a hater, but I did not care for this at all. The fruits were akin to artificial fruit-flavored candies— the kind that labels themselves “Froot” to avoid the implication that they might contain real fruit flavors or essence. The spirit maintained a lot of the peppery quality for which Talisker is well-known, which I will say I found impressive considering the heavy casking, but the pepper was almost unpleasant as the more youthful spirit joined it to produce a bit of funky white pepper and heat. Overall, a disappointment. Considering the strength of prior Talisker Special Releases, I had high hopes for this one. I imagine this would make for a good mixer, but that is not how you want to use a bottle like this.

Well balanced between marine accents and fruity notes of grapes, raisins and dark fruits. Notes of sea salt and white pepper.

This wine was originally very expensive. However, the high price caused it to sell poorly, leading to a drastic price reduction. Why not have set a reasonable price from the start? RMB 398/bottle