Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Age: 45 years
Proof: 90 (49.8% ABV)
Region: Isle of Skye, Scotland
A 45-year-old single malt from Talisker is enough to get any lover of Scotch whisky excited. The new Glacial Edge bottling from Talisker takes things a step further by exposing heavily charred American oak barrels to the Arctic Canadian landscape for 96 hours. The extreme cold causes the wood to fracture, which in turn creates more surface area on the interior of the cask, theoretically changing the way the whiskey interacts with the wood and changing the overall flavor profile. Does all of that effort actually improve the quality of the whiskey? Only one way to find out!
Tasting notes
The Talisker Glacial Edge 45 has an immediately noticeable maritime character. A salty, sea-breeze, and kombu-like aroma wafts over sweet notes of pear and brown sugar. Once sipped, the savory, oceanic character persists, but is joined by a whiff of smoke along with a sweet toffee, salted caramel, and a burst of black pepper and cinnamon. The whisky has a luscious mouthfeel that seems to intensify the briny and smoky aspects of the whiskey. As the Talisker Glacial Edge fades away, the peat smoke and salt linger and fade into a backdrop of salted caramel and vanilla.
Final thoughts
As to whether or not the glacial seasoning of the oak made any difference in the production of Glacial Edge, I have no idea. What I can say with certainty is that this is an outstanding single malt. It has a flavor profile that instantly transports the drinker to a frigid seaside cliff on the Isle of Skye, which is what Talisker’s best whiskies always do. The complexity of this whisky is only matched by its balance. The savory maritime tones are always in harmony with notes of caramel, vanilla, and toffee in all of the right places. Any fan of the rest of the Talisker line or standbys like Lagavulin 16 will find a lot to love here.
