Talisker – Special Release 2023 (70cl, 59.7%)

This is the 2023 Special Release from Talisker, a single malt bottled at natural cask strength of 59.7% in a 70cl bottle. The Malt Master finished it in a combination of Ruby, White and Tawny port casks, a nod to the Portuguese origins of the caravel, the sea vessel that inspired the release. The nose brings sea air with hints of oyster shell, salt and sand dune over a spicy, peaty base, with white grape, dark fruit and dry tannin coming through. In the mouth it is creamy and richly fruity, with waves of saltiness, smoke and spice running into an intense finish.