Talisker Skye Whisky Review

This bottle of whisky is certainly a good value proposition. You’ll quite easily find a bottle of Talisker Skye on offer in most supermarkets. So if you’re ever looking to buy a last minute gift for someone, this is often a good shout and Talisker has a name associated with nothing but quality.

Talisker Skye is named after the island it originates from and does not have any disclosed age so it is more than likely a blend. Blends often take a good quality whisky and a poorer quality whisky to easily make something that can be mass produced. In this case, Talisker hasn’t necessarily created something that tastes cheap or mass produced but there are some features that perhaps don’t put it on par with some of Talisker’s more established offerings.

The nose is stereotypically Talisker. You get the smoky and salty notes of the Isle of Skye. There are also elements of sweetness with a hint of toffee and vanilla that you often get with oak barrels.

The taste is where you really notice the difference between Skye vs say a 10 Year Old Talisker or their Distillers Edition. You get the smoke, the salt and the sweet notes but it is the latter which tastes a little artificial. We could be wrong and if so, then fair play to Talisker but there’s just something a little wayward. That being said, if you’re new to scotch whisky and peaty offerings, then not knowing how this compares to other smoked products might make this a good choice.

The finish is really reminiscent of the taste. Sweetness and smoke stays with you but it doesn’t have the same depth of finish as say the Port Ruighe, where the port casks bring a bolder taste and finish profile.

Don’t get us wrong, this is still a fairly solid whisky. This product is probably the brainchild of the Diageo machine where it’s about creating something that has just enough quality to pass as credible but potentially under the surface it’s leaning more towards the mass production product type. But hey, that’s business!