Continuing on the theme of supermarket whiskies, tonight I’m drinking a Talisker Storm. This has long intrigued me as I’ve continually seen it in supermarkets for at least £10 below the price of its bigger brother, the Talisker 10. So now’s my chance to satisfy some curiosity and to see whether I have fallen fowl to some clever marketing.
So…
Cost: £20-£40
Appearance: Golden syrup, thinned with vanilla essence.
Aroma: Gentle and ghostly smokey whisps, circling around a box of caramels wrapped in seaweed.
Taste: This doesn’t feel like a sophisticated dram, but it does hide some nice flavours if given a chance to warm up in the glass. Peppery, phenolic, very lightly peated compared to it’s the Talisker 10, but it’s definitely there. Seaweed and sweet popcorn eventually appear towards the end of the dram.
Mouthfeel: Light and subtle, but with a characteristic Talisker burn if held in the mouth too long.
Overall: For the price, especially around Christmas, this is a steal. If you’re looking for a dependable, peated and smokey whisky at a fraction of the cost then this could be for you. It’s not overly complex, and the finish doesn’t last much longer than a sneeze, BUT, if you’re bound by a small budget and can’t tolerate waiting a few days for a Masters of Malt delivery, then this is well worth the money from your local supermarket.
Real Dram Factor: 6.4
Source: A friendly gift sample bottle from Chris at The Dram Team
More Information: Talisker Distillery, Island of Skye
Buy Online: Amazon: Talisker Storm – £30.00 or Master of Malts: Talisker Storm – £38.57
RealDramRob
I have a Talisker Skye (Atlantic Challenge) , is it a similar malt?
To be perfectly honest, we don’t know, as we haven’t had both. However we have been told that the Skye is a more rounded dram, with more interesting favours on board.