It has been quite a long time Ladies and Gentlemen, but Justice is back, and I’m back with a scotch that blew me away.
I’ve long been a fan of the smokey and peaty tastes that go hand in hand with Islay scotch whiskys. The Talisker distillery, while not on Islay (located on the island of Skye to the north), creates some of the best examples of thick, smokey, peaty single malt scotch whiskies I’ve discovered to date. According to them, Talisker Storm is supposed to turn all of those qualities up a notch:
What they say: “No Whiskey reveals the character of its birthplace better than Talisker”
To know Talisker is to feel the power of the sea, and sense its rugged location on the banks of Loch Harport, on the foreboding Isle of Skye.
‘Talisker Storm’ takes this most intesne of experiences to a new level. The sweet warmth and briny peppery finish that are the symbol of the Talisker character have been carefully accentuated through a skillful blend of different aged Talisker casks. The profound maritime character achieves a deeper intensity like a warm welcome from a wild Hebridean sea.”
So a little bit of bragging in there, but pretty much all of it is deserved:
Taste: 5.5 – “Starts off silky and uneventful, mild peat flavor with some woody qualities, but then…”
Aftertaste: 8.0 – “…comes an aftertaste I’d sing songs about.” After the decidedly mild start, this scotch becomes a whole new beast once it sits in your mouth for a few seconds. It washes your whole pallet with smoke and peat and a spicy wood. The aftertaste comes on, well…like a sudden storm.
Burn/Smooth: 7.0 – This is an Islay scotch so it is going to burn. That being said it is in no way an unpleasant burn.
Aroma: 7.5 – Very peaty, very earthy aroma, burns a little if you get your nose to close, but I love a good peat smell.
Honesty: 8.0 – Islay scotches are manly by their very nature, and this one is called ‘Storm’. I can almost picture it sailing an old wooden gallion through a autumn storm, wearing a grisly beard and shouting back at the thunder. That image alone is all you need to know.
Mixability: 7.5
On the Rocks: 7.5 – Rocks seem to give the initial taste a bit more character, it starts off almost sweet and floral, then quite suddenly the aftertaste comes barreling in with all the smoke and peat you expect from an Islay and more. Only downside (in my view) is the rocks seem to remove a lot of the pleasant burn that came with it neat.
Value: 6.0 – At about $73 on average I’d say you get a bit more than you pay for, especially since its not one of their standard line
Google Shop Average: $73
Reviewer Scores:
Justice: 7.5
Want to compare this spirit against our archives? Visit our statistics page.
Metric Score: 49.5/70 |+| Metric Average: 7.07 |+| Reviewer Average: 7.5
New to Honest Booze Reviews, or just wondering how we score? See our FAQ/Review Policy.
Final Thoughts:
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this scotch, especially since it had no age. We’ve had Talisker in the past and found it enjoyable, not something I’d run back to, but a solid scotch. This one, I’d come back to again if only for that aftertaste. As the name would suggest, the perfect scotch for a violent autumn storm.