Talisker 57º North

This is my fourth Talisker, following the 10, the 2021 Special Edition 8 “Sea Fury”, and the 18. I anticipated more amazingness from this small tasting sample. My whisky journey so far has made me a big admirer of the Scottish Isles, and Skye's wild flavors are definitely no exception. The recurring theme of depth and sea salt transports me to the image of an old lighthouse keeper observing the crashing waves. Named for the distillery's latitude, Talisker 57° North is a single malt without an age statement, released in 2008 as a travel exclusive, and is now discontinued. Even though I probably won't ever taste this again, I was still thrilled for the chance. Nose: I expected a strong, wild impact, but surprisingly, it's calm, smooth, and warming. It's undeniably rich, with a sweetness like a caramel biscuit (think Biscoff). There's a hint of chocolate, honey, and a fresh, muddled peppermint herbal note. Naturally, there's the Talisker sea salt with a slightly mineral, ashy cured meat smokiness. A faint, fresh oyster-like maritime aroma drifts by. Palate: Oh, interesting and unexpected once more. Like a thin syrup, the initial taste is coating and potent. Sweetness, a mouthwatering sweetness of gooey, creamy caramel shifts to peppery-chilli peat that explodes with layers of buttery popcorn and perhaps some apple/pear juice. Everything feels alive and fully coats the mouth. Finish: Medium-long. Surprisingly fresh with a menthol-like clean feeling, a light sea saltiness, and maybe some candied lemon vibrancy. A few drops of water extend the experience, bring out the maltiness a bit more, and enhance the chilli. It doesn't really add or subtract anything significant. This is potent stuff. No shock, it's a Talisker. It's surprisingly succulent and craveable, but also straightforward. There are layers, but they're the same ones I've encountered in the other three Taliskers I've tried here. Those layers are clean, clear, and sharply defined, but I feel there's a lack of distinctiveness here. I thought the 57% ABV would reveal something new. While I detect elements of the 18 and Sea Fury 8 on the nose, this isn't as unique as either (though still wonderful). The 18's palate has orange peel and chocolate, while the Sea Fury 8 and 10 have bacon, baking chocolate, and earthy minerality. Overall, I enjoyed this; it's "better" than the 10, a bit more polished, but not as special as other Taliskers at the same price. [Pictured with a rather sizable lump of the Campo Del Cielo nickel-iron meteorite from ~1000 km northwest of Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is a fragment of a meteorite that impacted 4000-5000 years ago and covered an area of 3x19 km and yielded 100 tonnes of material to date. Given that these can’t be “produced” anymore (illegal to remove from Argentina) I thought this rock was appropriate for a discontinued travel retail whisky] Whisky tasting #111

The last complimentary sample from this current tasting set comes from a well-regarded Island distillery, Talisker. 57° North is exclusively available in travel retail. The '57' signifies not only the whisky's proof but also the distillery's global coordinates (situated at approximately 57° 17’.9N latitude, 06° 21’.5 W longitude). Bottled at 57% ABV, it likely possesses a natural honey-gold color and is unfiltered. The aroma is characterized by pepper and peat smoke, though the smoke is somewhat subdued. It carries a slightly medicinal quality, along with malty/cereal, herbal, and floral notes. BBQ meats, like overcooked and dried-out chicken or hamburger, are also present, alongside more earthy and vegetal peat notes. Sweetness comes from honey, lemon, dried apricots, and grilled oranges. Balanced oak, faint mint, fennel, or perhaps licorice are detected. Salty olive brine, lemon custard, and vanilla sweetness also emerge. Adding water enhances the honey and grilled fruits, introducing notes of hay and chalkiness, which quickly become prominent. The palate begins with sweetness, but the characteristic Talisker pepper soon takes over, overshadowing any initial sweetness. There's not much initial peat or smoke, but it does build slightly. Notes of ashes and barrel char, with saltiness, are present. Water brings out honey and citrus flavors, specifically lemons and pineapple. The mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, semi-dry, and coats the palate. The finish is medium in length, dry, slightly nutty, with abundant pepper, oak, and a puff of smoke. This expression is the antithesis of the 18-year-old. Instead of elegance and refinement, it's a forceful delivery of pepper and spice. It's clearly a young whisky, evident from its high ABV and lack of depth. Its primary characteristic is its sheer power and ability to engage your senses intensely. Minimal, if any, water is needed to appreciate this dram. However, I would consistently choose the classic 10-year-old over this, and even the Storm/Dark Storm expressions. At $95, it's not a great value, especially considering the Dark Storm is about $30 less and both are travel retail exclusives in 1L bottles. While the 57 provides an extra 11.2% ABV, the trade-off doesn't justify the cost in my opinion. Nevertheless, it remains a solid 4-star single malt. Cheers.

A reminder of the hotel room whisky sharing before Whiskyfest DC, where a friend generously brought ample pours of this newer NAS from Talisker: 57 degrees North. This is essentially a cask strength version of their other non-age statement offerings. The whisky is estimated to be 6-8 years old, and the name reflects both the ABV and the distillery's geographical latitude. Quite interesting. The color is a deep gold, and a few thick legs slowly slide down the tasting glass after a good swirl. The nose is typical Talisker: smoke, peat, pepper, and BBQ. The saltiness provides a solid foundation, and I detected a distinct hit of mint with each sniff. I believe this minty freshness might be due to the higher ABV rather than any other factor. The palate initially delivers a strong alcohol punch, followed by pepper and thick Talisker smoke, then releasing subtle citrus notes and an unusual syrupy sweetness. The harshness of the young spirit also negatively impacts the overall mouthfeel. The finish is extremely harsh and hot. I generally avoid adding water, especially when I only have a single pour to evaluate. If I had the entire bottle, I might experiment, but I prefer to taste them as the distillery intended. More smoky elements linger on the finish, which is delightfully medium-long. Roasted nut flavors remained long after finishing the dram. This whisky was more challenging to enjoy than I anticipated. I love Talisker almost as much as Laphroaig, but this one fell short. It's too harsh and overwhelmed by pepper notes. Perhaps 57% is too much for their spirit, but they aimed for a semi-cask strength product to compete, and this isn't a high-quality example in my opinion. I'd give it 3 to 3.25 stars because it's still nicely smoky, but ultimately, I wouldn't purchase a bottle. Cheers.

Distilled in 2015. I purchased my 1L bottle of this on sale at a Duty Free for approximately 60 USD in 2016. I don't believe I've ever bought anything on sale at a Duty Free that I genuinely enjoyed. On cold, windy, rainy evenings, when neither my dog nor I appreciate a necessary walk; when she does her business, and we quickly return home; she always finds comfort warming up next to the fireplace. Her fireplace. Occasionally, this bottle of young, potent Talisker at 57% ABV convinces me it can offer the same comfort her fireplace provides her. This is an uninspired, elemental experience from a time before Earth could sustain life. There's dirt, mineral ore, and deep-fried salt. Absolutely no fish; or meat; or plant – just fried salt. That's the aroma. On the palate, there's a brief recollection of Talisker 10, but amplified. Lots of pepper, chili, caramel, citrus, and red fruits. But the pleasantness is short-lived, replaced by a mixture of seawater and swimming pool water. The finish irritates the back of the throat with sharp crystals of caramel and minerals. A generous amount of water softens things somewhat, but only by reducing the intensity; it doesn't give this dram much-needed life. This is incomparable to Talisker 10; however, it's slightly superior to Talisker Storm. The alcohol provides some warmth, but everything else leaves me feeling cold. Time to cuddle up to my dog and her fireplace with a second pour of Ardbeg Kelpie. Score: 0 (forgettable). Bottle cost: Not available locally. Check travel retail and online stores. $77 on TWE. My valuation of a bottle: $35.

My initial encounter with Talisker was some time ago during a tasting when my scotch knowledge was limited to the common brands like Johnnie Walker and Glenlivet. Talisker 10 was astounding. Talisker 18 remains one of my absolute favorites. This Talisker was shared by a knowledgeable individual from our now-concluded group, and was provided through that connection. Enough about my past, let's discuss the whisky. It has a golden hue. The aroma is dense, offering notes of earthy minerals, rubber, and a sea-salt tang. Grilled apricots, honey, and a hint of pepper are present. A rubbing alcohol quality is noticeable alongside some malty sweetness. The first sips are harsh and abrasive, like sandpaper. This rough sensation fades, giving way to pepper and sugary sweetness, with fruitiness from apricots and pineapples. Lemon zest and charcoal notes become more prominent toward the end. Adding water softens the spice, allowing the sweetness to come forward. A distinct scotch fog is quite apparent. What lingers on the palate for a moderate duration is drying oak, black pepper, charcoal, and a touch of bitterness. This is a spicy dram. The signature Talisker pepper is evident, but it lacks the depth of the classic 10 and the obvious 18. In my opinion, it's closer to the Storm expression but without the smokiness. A small amount of water is all that's needed, if desired. Anything more dilutes the spirit. Overall, it's still enjoyable, and I appreciate the sample, as my own travels don't allow me to encounter this bottling often. [87/100][Tasted: 2/8/19]

This is one of the more obscure Talisker releases with an alcohol percentage higher than the standard 45.8%. I suspect the 57% is not true cask strength, as at its likely young age, it would probably be 60% or more, but it's close. Despite the increased alcohol content, it doesn't show on the nose at all. It's remarkably smooth, with very pleasant bright fruits – the best fruit blend I've encountered in any Talisker, especially with the gentle peat. There's pineapple alongside woody spices like nutmeg and cloves. What I appreciate most is its clarity, definition, depth, and smoothness. The palate is similarly pure and balanced: pleasant peat, excellent fruit sweetness, bright citrus notes, and smooth nuts, vanilla, and spices – all harmonizing in a silky, sweet unison with a lively kick. Truly enjoyable. The finish is sweet and sour with some nice peat on the side. It lacks bitterness, and the burn is appropriate for the high alcohol content. After a few drops of water (bringing the ABV down to around 50%), the nose becomes a bit drier, and the peat moves forward. However, the delightful fruits (now with added banana) and more vanilla become clearer as well. This Talisker has been, and after this tasting remains, one of my absolute favorite Talisker expressions.