Country: Scotland
Brand: The Talisman
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
ABV: 40 % (My Guess: Around 5 Years)
Colour: Pale Amber/Straw
Nose: I'm going to be completely honest here at the risk of sounding like some spoiled snob which I ain't cause I still love my JW Black or Jim Beam Black on the Rocks. But after having tasted a couple of nice Single Malts lately it's not very rewarding to sniff at the Talisman Blend. Not because it's bad but because it simply lacks interesting aromas. It's very light with a bit of Malt, lots of Grain, some Oak, light Spice, Citrus and hints of Heather and Mango.
Palate: Thin Delivery. Sweet Grain, Caramel, Bitter Refill Wood, Lemon and hints of Heather, Peat and Honey.
Finish: Short and Sugary Sweet with a bit of Toffee, Pepper and Oak.
With a bit of Water the Nose becomes very thin but gains a bit more Fruit and Honey. Palate and Finish however disappear completely.
Rating: 72
Nose: 18.5 - Taste: 18 - Finish: 17.5 - Overall: 18
General Remarks: The Talisman is produced by the Tomatin Distillery that was founded in 1897 and is located close to the A9 Motorway, halfway between Aviemore and Inverness. Over the years it grew very fast and today it is the second largest distillery in scale after Glenfiddich. It is owned by the Japanese Takara Shuzo and Okura Group. A large part of the production (80%) goes into blends like Talisman, Big T and the Antiquary. The Talisman contains around 30% of Malt Whisky and is quite affordable at around 20 US Dollars. Lately the distillery is making an effort to promote its Single Malts as well.
Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average
Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Below Average
Conclusion: There are better Blends at this price level. The Talisman is not interesting enough as a sipping Whisky and on the Rocks you can find better alternatives like the Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark, William Lawson's, JW Red and the cheaper Bourbons. If you want to mix, better use Bourbon!
Jan van den Ende August 18, 2013
