Talisker – Glacial Edge 45 Year Old (70cl, 49.8%)

A 45 year old single malt from Talisker, bottled at 49.8% ABV in a 70cl bottle. Glacial Edge is the final release in the Xpedition Oak series, made in partnership with the environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans. Only 2455 bottles were released. Twelve heavily charred American oak casks were shipped from the Isle of Skye to the Arctic ice fields of Canada. A cooper removed the cask ends and the casks were left in sub-zero temperatures for four days, so the wood fractured and gave the whisky more surface to work with during its finishing back in Scotland. The notes describe maritime and spice on the nose, an oily palate of chilli, salted caramel and toffee, and a long finish of briny salt and black pepper.