Talisker 8 Year Old Douglas Laing Provenance 2008 Single Cask DL11612 PRV1274 (2017) 70cl

Talisker 8 Year Old Douglas Laing Provenance 2008 Single Cask DL11612 PRV1274 (2017) 70cl

1 of 369 bottles!

This Talisker was bottled at 8 years old from a Refill Hogshead that was distilled in December 2008 and bottled in February 2017.

Triple distillation stopped in 1928. It has been a mystery ever since as to what style was made, but Diageo’s boffins believe it could explain the unusual configuration of the stills – two wash stills and three spirit.

Talisker has retained the five still set-up and continues to produce a highly individual new make which mixes smoke, fruit, sulphur, salt and pepper. The malt is medium-peated, the worts clear, the fermentation long. It is in distillation that things go slightly strange.

The wash stills are very tall with an exaggerated U-shaped bend in the lyne arm with a purifier pipe at its lowest point. This refluxes any heavy elements back into the body of the still to be redistilled. After rising up the ‘U’, the lyne arm coils itself inside cold worm tubs.

While there is a lot of reflux taking place, there is little copper contact which provides the sulphury notes in the new make, and could give the signature pepperiness in the mature spirit. The purifier pipe adds oiliness, while the reflux helps to refine the fruity elements created during fermentation.

In contrast to most distilleries where the spirit stills are the workhorses, at Talisker the second distillation takes place in small plain stills, again with worm tubs. This adds mid-palate weight. Maturation is in refill and rejuvenated casks with ex-fortified wine casks being used for the Distiller’s Edition and Port Ruighe expressions and occasional special releases.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Autumnal leaf bonfire smoke merges with peated Malt barley

Palate: Initially Sweet, building to a summer tar, coal dust and cereal

Finish: Every bit as sweet now ashy and sooty; still shows its barley base.

46% ABV

70cl