Bit of a Talisker-fest of late, and that's not even including the Scotch Club Talisker night we couldn't attend.Talisker Port Ruighe (pronounced "Portree") is one of Talisker's recent releases (along with Storm and Dark Storm), though it isn't yet widely available in Australia. The name refers to both the maturation it's gone through, in ex-Port casks, and the historic trading port by the same name, on Talisker's home the Isle of Skye.
Being a big fan of interesting maturation and finishing, I was keen to see how Talisker's salty/smoky nature paired up with port's typical sweetness.
Talisker Port Ruighe (45.8% ABV, NAS, OB, Isle of Skye Scotland)
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Nose: Smoky and salty, but with hints of...bath salts and soap? No, I hadn't failed to rinse my glass! Sawdust too. An odd mix, but enjoyable.
Palate: Thankfully, not the big salty smack in the mouth I got from the 30yo, but some real complexity. Smoky but not overly so, silky smooth, rich and syrupy with toffee apples and raisins. In a word, "rich".
Finish: Not overly smoky, but with some bacon notes and some residual ash at the back of the throat, towards the end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. A great dram, and one that delicately balances Talisker's typical character with new and unchartered finishing/double maturation territory. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Talisker come out with in the near future.
Cheers,
- Martin.
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