Talisker

United Kingdom

All about Talisker

Talisker's Whisky is known for a refined complexity. The malt is moderately peated and its defining characteristic is a peppery flavor. Talisker is available in 10, 18, 20 and 25 year bottlings.

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All about Talisker distillery

The Talisker Distillery resides in Carbost, a village on the Isle of Skye. It is Skye's only operating distillery. This remote parcel of land sits at the Western tip of Scotland, hanging over the Atlantic Ocean.

Two brothers, Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill, founded Talisker distillery in 1830. A series of false starts at other locations saw construction of the facilities delayed until 1831, when they acquired the lease of Talisker House from the MacLeod clan.

A vicious fire in 1960 ravaged the works, and the whole of Talisker was rebuilt subsequently. A bridge from the Scottish mainland opened in 1995 and visitors can now access the distillery by car.

Talisker is capable of producing between three and four million liters of spirit each year with two wash stills and three spirit. Water for the mashing arrives from the Burn am Cnoc nam Speirag—possibly the most difficult loch to pronounce there is. Talisker's malting floors were demolished in 1972.

Talisker's tall wash stills have a unique bend in the lyne arm, which refluxes heavy elements back into the still. This, in combination with low copper contact results in the sulphury, peppery flavors Talisker is admired for. The make is matured in a variety of refill and rejuvenated casks, including ex-Port for special releases.

Distillery info

  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Region: Islands
  • Address: Carbost, Isle of Skye IV47 8SR, United Kingdom
  • Phone: 01478 614308