Talisker Distillery (Diageo)
Talisker 10 Year Old
Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky · 10 Years
From the shores of the Isle of Skye comes a whisky of maritime peat, black pepper, and wild beauty. Talisker 10 is Scotland's most dramatic distillery in a bottle.
Rating Breakdown
Flavor Profile
Tasting Journey
Nose
Sea spray, smoked fish, black pepper, lighter peat, citrus, malt, honey sweetness, maritime evocative
Palate
Signature pepper explosion, smoked malt, sea salt, dried fruit, emerging sweetness, oily coastal mouthfeel
Finish
Length: LongLong and warming—smoke, pepper, distinctive chilli-heat transitioning to malt sweetness
Specs
Price / Value
MSRP: $55
Your Rating
Click to rate
Our Score: 88/100
Pairings
Food
- Smoked salmon
- seafood chowder
- pepper-crusted steak
- blue cheese
- dark chocolate with sea salt
Cocktails
- Neat with a few drops of water (essential to unlock the pepper)
- smoky Highball
- Rob Roy
Our Verdict
Talisker 10 is Scotland's most dramatic whisky—a storm of pepper, smoke, and maritime character from the Isle of Skye. At $55 for 45.8% ABV, the value is outstanding.
Talisker is the only distillery on the Isle of Skye, and it seems to have absorbed the island's wild, dramatic character into every drop it produces. The 10 Year Old is Talisker's entry point, and what an entry it makes—a whisky of peat, pepper, and maritime intensity that feels like standing on a Scottish cliff face during a storm.
The nose is smoky and maritime: sea spray, smoked fish, black pepper, and a distinctive peat character that's lighter and more peppery than Islay's medicinal intensity. There's also citrus, malt, and a sweetness reminiscent of honey that provides counterpoint to the smoke. It's one of the most evocative noses in Scotch.
On the palate, Talisker 10 delivers its signature "pepper explosion"—a burst of black and white pepper that hits mid-palate with thrilling intensity. Around this peppery core swirl smoked malt, sea salt, dried fruit, and a sweetness that emerges gradually as the whisky opens up. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with an oily coastal quality at 45.8% ABV.
The finish is long and warming, with smoke, pepper, and a distinctive chilli-heat that slowly transitions to malt sweetness. It's a finish that makes you feel alive—invigorating rather than soothing.
At approximately $55, Talisker 10 offers exceptional value for a whisky this distinctive and characterful. It sits in its own category—not as heavily peated as Islay, not as sweet as Speyside, but something entirely its own. For those who want drama without extremity, Talisker 10 is the perfect storm.
