Sometimes They Don't Know What They Have

"Goggles Pizzano" (gogglespizzano)
11/03/2019 at 18:01 • Filed to: Oppositeloch, Talisker, Thrill of a Lifetime, whiskylopnik

It was just two weeks ago I mentioned to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that I had no interest in the Talisker 25, never have. Since then I learned of a person selling a bottle. There was just a crappy phone pic with no details. The asking price was the same as the Gov. stores (pre-tax) before it sold out last year.

My firs t thought was this person must be unfamiliar with the one private shop in town that’s always had it in stock for slightly less money. Then I looked closer at that crappy phone pic and did a double-take. Something looked off.

Even before it was cool to do so Talisker bottled at a higher than usual 45.8% across their mainline. This includes all the 25yo bottled after 2010. Before that there was no 25yo in their mainline at all, but it was available as a Special Release Cask Strength sporadically from 2002. That didn’t look to say 45.8%. It looked like this could be one of those highly sought after bottles.

Over the next week emails were exchanged while I tried to make no sudden movements.

From !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! :

Talisker 25 yo (54.2%, OB, Refill casks, 9,708 bottles, 2008)

A pretty large batch this year.

Colour: pale gold.

Nose: the difference with the oldies is very obvious, and not only because of the higher proof. It’s much more ‘coastal’, with much more notes of iodine, sea air, oysters, kelp… As for the fruity side, we left the oranges for more lemons and green apples. Also highly unusual notes of green olives that we never got in any Talisker as far as we can remember. The peat is less ‘ashy and sooty’, and probably grassier and more organic. With water (at roughly 43% to make it more comparable with the oldies): it got even straighter, on a pure mix of seawater and lemon juice. Make that a plate of oysters.

Mouth (neat): again, what’s striking is that there’s much more lemon and even lime in this ‘new’ one. Very citric and then certainly peatier than the oldies. Also very peppery, but it’s different pepper when compared with the exceptional 1952. Sharper and also more mineral.

Mouth (with water): it does not get any rounder but, interestingly, closer to the oldies, with these heavy notes of shoe polish that we found in the 1953. Also notes of fresh almonds and always a lot of lemon.

Finish: long, heavily ‘coastal’ now, with the ‘lemony peat’ striking at the end. Faint tannins (grape skin).

Comments: these recent 20 or 25yo Taliskers are all very good and except for wood type variations (there has been some sherry versions), they are all very consistent. What’s more, even if the 1952 is really out of this world, they are in the same league as the oldies and should benefit from a little bottle aging. Only one concern, though: will the corks keep as well as good twist caps (or better yet, tin/spring caps) do? SGP:457 - 91 points.

How could I not?

Days later, still in a bit of shock.

DISCUSSION (11)

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Goggles Pizzano
11/03/2019 at 18:16

I’m glad that another nice bottle of scotch has found a good home.

Goggles Pizzano > gin-san - shitpost specialist
11/03/2019 at 18:20

Thanks, one of things I told myself to justify the purchase was that if I regrett ed it I could always sell it. Now that I have it I’m sure I’m keeping it.

Jayvincent > Goggles Pizzano
11/03/2019 at 18:21

a victory f o r one of us is a victory for all of us, thanks for winning one today

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Goggles Pizzano
11/03/2019 at 18:23

Better you than I, that bottle would not last very long in my home.

Goggles Pizzano > Jayvincent
11/03/2019 at 18:27

A constant e ar to the ground pays off.

Goggles Pizzano > gin-san - shitpost specialist
11/03/2019 at 18:28

It will be work.

jimz > Goggles Pizzano
11/03/2019 at 20:15

I don’t know how these people get hints of “lemon” or “lime” or “citric flavor.” Any time I try to drink any whisky all I can taste is “essences of burnt and paint thinner.”

Goggles Pizzano > jimz
11/03/2019 at 21:29

It takes practice. Seriously. I think my palate is just okay. Somewhere in the middle I think. By no means an expert.

Paint thinner sounds like it could be cheap unmalted grain whisky they use for filler in blends. If you’re drinking blends it could be helpful to move to a straightforward highland single malt (even an affordable entry level one). Essences of burnt can be eliminated by not drinking a smoky whisky. Grab a Glenfiddich.

There’s a great chance you’ll find vanilla. It comes from the aging in bourbon barrels and it’s very common. After the glass has sat for half an hour chances are chocolate or fudge will appear. This comes from the malt and is equally as common in whisky. Finding these two flavors gave me a good groundwork to find more.

jimz > Goggles Pizzano
11/03/2019 at 22:00

nah. any time someone has told me a food or a drink is an “acquired taste,” it hasn’t taken me long to decide I don’t wish to acquire it. Whisky makes me gag. Blue cheese makes me gag. most olives make me gag.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Goggles Pizzano
11/04/2019 at 02:01

maybe it was stolen?

Goggles Pizzano > pip bip - choose Corrour
11/04/2019 at 11:27

Possible but very unlikely. All our interactions point toward it being picked up at an estate auction bundled with things totally unrelated. I think he did a quick google search for value and called it a day. It was all free money after he got what he wanted from the auction bundle .

He’s a local business owner. I didn’t even meet him, but his secretary let slip that he’s always selling stuff. ;-)x