Why the Talisker 47 Year Old Magma Won Me Over Against My Better Judgement

Every so often, a whisky arrives on my desk that I fully expect to dismiss, only to find myself completely disarmed. The Talisker 47 Year Old Magma is exactly that whisky. Finished in casks that have been seared and scorched with hot volcanic basalt rock, it sounds like the kind of marketing gimmick I would normally raise an eyebrow at.

Yet after spending a good while with it, I have to admit this is a genuinely impressive dram, and I got hold of a sample thanks to the generosity of Mark Littler following his Forbes article.

The numbers alone tell an interesting story. This is a 47 year old Talisker bottled at 48.8%, having spent nearly all of those five decades quietly maturing in refill American oak hogsheads. Only in the final four months of its life was it moved into new American oak charred with heated basalt rock, presumably rolled around inside so as not to burn the wood to ruin.

It is not the first time Talisker has experimented in this way, but it remains a curiosity, and the bottle itself, made from recycled glass, is a very pretty thing indeed. Still, I judge these on taste alone, and nothing else.

On the nose it lies firmly in the tropical field, bursting with juicy peach and kiwi, all backed by a beautiful candy floss sweetness that takes you straight to the fair. The classic coastal Talisker character is there, but it is restrained and pulled back, arriving only after your nose has lingered in the glass for some time.

The palate is where this thing really shines. Big tropical fruits lead the charge before smoky, flinty, mineral notes leap out of nowhere, joined by black pepper, lemon oil and a funky, yeasty, almost Parmesan quality. I even found a note of wild garlic on the finish, which may be the nichest thing I have ever recorded. This might be the most culinary whisky I have ever experienced.

Part of me wanted to dislike this, if only because it comes from a conglomerate the size of Diageo. But it is impossible not to be won over by the charm of such a dignified, complex old Talisker. For a distillery I feel is a little on the back foot at the minute, with few exciting releases and dwindling interest, this is a genuine statement of quality. It earns a nine out of 10 from me.

So here is my question to you: do gimmicks like basalt seared casks add real character, or are we simply being charmed by clever storytelling?

To see my full tasting of the Talisker 47 Year Old Magma, check out my YouTube video.