Category: Island

Talisker 10 (45.8% ABV)

Color: Pale gold

Nose: Sea air and vegetation. Sweet barbecue smoke. Heather honey. Hints of citrus.

Mouthfeel: Rich, coating the mouth.

Palate: Dark beer, steak pie and haggis (yes, really).

Finish: Long. Salty, woody, peaty. Fish and chips in a seaside pub.

Overall: Quintessentially Scottish. This dram, which was my first, is what hooked me on whisky back when I visited the distillery on my semester abroad. Hitchhiking with my friends to Glen Brittle after the tour put what I had just tasted into perspective. I realized that the gorgeous landscape around me perfectly encapsulated what I had tasted in the glass back in Carbost. This is a special whisky to me, and will always remain close to my heart.

97/100

Highland Park 12 (43% ABV)

Nose: Strong honey; like the inside of an apiary. Brown sugar. Apple. Light smoke. Slight salty-sweet ocean air. Really quite sweet overall.

Palate: Mild. Bing cherry. Coffee cake. Maple syrup.

Finish: Medium length, and smooth. Woody and dry. Wheatgrass. I’m really having trouble picking anything else out here…it’s quite a simple finish.

Overall: It’s okay. For its price, definitely a bargain, but in whole, it’s a bit sweet for my taste. There’s nothing I actively dislike in it though. Definitely the candidate for a more regular whisky on my poor college student budget, especially as a peat fan.

84/100