Talisker 1980 Tactical The Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

Bottled by Douglas Laing, this Talisker, aged 19 year old from 1980 and bottled at 50%. The outturn was 348 bottles. Set at Carbost on the Isle of Skye, Talisker has distilled since 1830. The tall wash stills carry U shaped lyne arms with purifier pipes, and the spirit runs into worm tubs.

The spirit was made in tall pot stills with purifier loops and worm tubs, from medium peated malt, for a smoky, oily, peppery spirit. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the peppery character to the fore. Long ageing brings a soft smoke, dried fruit and a mellow, peppery brine. Long maturation softens the peat into a mellow smoke over the maritime spirit. Medium peated malt from Glen Ord gives the smoke, the water from the Hawk Hill springs. After a stillhouse fire in 1960, the five stills were rebuilt as exact replicas. The distillery faces the water across to the hills of Skye.

Undiluted at 50%, it is deep and smoky. A maritime smoke with a peppery bite sit over light oak sweetness beneath the peat. It is rich and smoky, the brine and oak well matched. Pepper and sea salt see out a long finish. This is the maritime malt made by the sea on Skye.