Talisker 1957 Black Label, Golden Eagle (G&M)

Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail, this Talisker from 1957 and bottled at 40%. Talisker was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill at Carbost on the Isle of Skye; it is the oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye. 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. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, gentle American oak under the smoke. With no age statement, it shows the smoky, peppery maritime character in full. Long maturation softens the peat into a mellow smoke over the maritime spirit. Talisker was for nearly two centuries the only working distillery on the Isle of Skye. Its 10 year old is the Island malt of Diageo's Classic Malts selection. The unusual two wash and three spirit still set up is a relic of triple distillation, dropped in 1928.

At 40% it is soft, smoky and coastal. 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. The finish is deep, oily and peppery. This is the maritime malt made by the sea on Skye.