A CARAMELISED CHILLI – Score: 5.5/10
Robert Louis Stevenson once named Talisker among “the King o’ drinks”, alongside Islay and Glenlivet. More than a century later, the old distillery at Carbost still trades on that fiery, maritime reputation — and each year Diageo’s Special Releases give it a chance to show a different face.
Founded in 1830 by the brothers Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill on the shore of Loch Harport, Talisker spent most of its life as the lone distillery on the Isle of Skye. Wind, salt and peat smoke have always been part of its signature, and this 2024 Special Release, bottled at eight years old, arrives with the promise of youth and vigour rather than long contemplation.
The first impression is sweet: a soft layer of caramel, quickly joined by candied fruits that lend a sticky, confectionery richness. Then the heat arrives. A chilli-like spice builds on the palate, with peat smoke drifting underneath, and for a moment the sweetness and the burn play off each other in an intriguing way — exactly the image of a chilli pepper glazed in sugar.
Yet the dialogue never quite deepens. The caramel stays on the surface, the spice keeps the same pitch from start to finish, and the peat adds backbone without much nuance. A pleasant, lively dram to share, but one that stays a little short of what the Talisker name can deliver.
