🥃 Talisker 10 Year Old
A 10-year-old single malt from the Isle of Skye: 45.8% ABV, matured in former American whisky casks; the core Talisker expression.
Talisker 10 Year Old is the core single malt from the Talisker distillery in Carbost on the Isle of Skye. The whisky is 10 years old and 45.8% ABV, above the legal minimum of 40%. The style is described as smoky and briny, with pepper, but softer than whiskies from Islay.
According to Difford's Guide, it matures mainly in hogsheads that once held American whisky. The distillery works with moderately peated malt, has five stills and water condensers, and takes its water from springs on Hawk Hill. Difford's Guide also notes that Talisker was once sold as an 8-year-old, and that the 10-year-old version was released as part of the Classic Malts. The owner is Diageo.
Why this matters to you. Talisker 10 is the brand's benchmark, and it is convenient to compare it with Talisker Storm, Skye and Distillers Edition: they share the same strength but use different casks and have a different character. The age on the label refers to the youngest whisky in the bottle. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | Talisker distillery founded 1830, Carbost, Skye; the 10-year-old version was released as part of Classic Malts |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky) |
| EU category | 2 - whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
| Raw material | moderately peated malted barley; water from Hawk Hill |
| Distillation method | twice, five copper stills, water condensers |
| Cask type | mainly hogsheads ex-American whisky |
| Minimum maturation | 10 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 45.8% |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Talisker 10 Year Old → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🐝 American white oak
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health
- Part of
- 🥃 Talisker, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Lagavulin, 🥃 Talisker Distillers Edition, 🥃 Talisker Distillers Edition, 🥃 Talisker Storm, 🥃 Talisker Storm
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Talisker 10 is a heavily peated whisky?
No, the malt is moderately peated. The whisky is smoky and briny, but not like the ones from Islay.
What is the strength of Talisker 10?
45.8% ABV according to Difford's Guide.
What casks is Talisker 10 matured in?
Mainly hogsheads that once held American whisky, according to Difford's Guide.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol.
- 🐝 American white oak — A North American oak that gives wine strong vanilla and coconut notes.
- 🥃 Peated whisky — Whisky with a smoky aroma from malt dried over a peat fire; it is a style, not a separate legal category.
Similar
🥃 Talisker Skye · 🥃 Talisker Distillers Edition · 🥃 Talisker Storm · 🥃 Scapa Skiren · 🥃 Lagavulin 11 Year Old Sweet Peat · 🥃 Ardmore Legacy
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- Difford's Guide: Talisker 10 Year Old (45.8 %; ex-American whiskey hogsheads; Classic Malts)
- Difford's Guide: Talisker Distillery (list of expressions; casks ex-American whiskey hogsheads)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Talisker (Carbost, Skye; five stills; Diageo; core bottlings; fortified-wine casks)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)