Talisker 43 Years Old Xpedition Oak 49.7% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (93)

There should be some story to be found about this mysterious 'Xpedition', let me first check that out… Right, correct, this baby was finished in casks that included wooden staves that had traversed the Atlantic, from the Spanish Canary islands to Antigua, on the deck of adventurer James Aiken's yacht. Just ten casks have been subsequently made and then blended away. Well, as they say, 'they really did something' here, it's not just a tribute bottling straight from Wikipedia. Like, a tribute to Cristopher Columbus or to Vasco de Gama. Or Magellan. Let's try it… Colour: gold. Shows restraint. Nose: oh! The story was nice, really, but the juice is splendid, or so it seems this far. You'll find these creamy touches of bergamot and citron jam, perhaps even yuzu, with luminous notes of forest herbs, heather, moss in the morning, lemongrass, Thai basil, then oysters and their wee buddies the winkles, a little beeswax and quince jelly, plus probably some fresh kelp . This is all very complex, extremely elegant, and superbly fresh. I believe we ran out of laudatory adjectives. Mouth: no straight oak in the way (not even floated wood, ha-ha), rather zests, crystallised citrus, a few drops of Spanish Chartreuse (Spain, again), and this salty-resinous combination that often comes out of some pretty old, well, Taliskers. The freshness here is really impressive, its balance as well, not to mention the complexity and the body… Wonderful tension at 43 years. Finish: finishes are always superb in old Taliskers, really. When the salt, the softer peppers, the citrus, the brine and all elements from the sea are singing the chorus in unison. Whale songs. Comments: back to pedestrian considerations, I understand why they wouldn't have loaded the whisky itself aboard that yacht. Well, I for one would have quaffed it all during the crossing! That's right, ten casks.

BOW (93)