Talisker Distillery, located on the Isle of Skye, is noted for the rugged beauty of its location, and the plentiful peat, salt, and citrus that can be found in its whiskies.
Until recently the only distillery on Skye (Torabhaig Distillery was established in 2017), Talisker is almost synonymous with the island. Whisky has been produced at the distillery since 1830.
Through its inclusion in Diageo’s Classic Malts range in 1988, Talisker became famous in the emerging world of whisky despite its incredibly remote location.
Paying tribute to this earlier Talisker whisky, I thought that this week on Scotch Whisky Legends we could take a look at the Talisker 1957 Gordon & Macphail, bottled in the 1970s. This whisky was awarded an astonishing 96 points by Serge Valentin of WhiskyFun.
Talisker 1957 Gordon & Macphail 1970s
This whisky was distilled in 1957 and bottled by Gordon & Macphail in the 1970s. As you can see on the bottom-left-hand corner of the label, the volume of the bottle is given in fluid ounces (26 and ⅔ to be exact) as well as in centiliters on the right side of the label. From 1977 until 1980, the volume of a bottle of whisky was denoted in both fluid ounces and centiliters. This is because the UK was transitioning from using fluid ounces to centiliters for labeling drinks. As such, the appearance of both volumes can be used to date a bottle of whisky within a three-year period.
All of this is to say that independent bottlers, Gordon & Macphail, had only received a special license from DCL (now Diageo) to officially bottle Talisker scotch whisky in the 1970s. As such, this is a very early official bottling of the single malt from Skye, pre-dating Diageo’s Classic Malts range.
Given the distillation and probable bottling date, it is safe to assume that this whisky is between 20 and 23 years old and bottled at cask strength (53.5% ABV). This is a very impressive age statement for a 70s bottling.
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Serge Valentin’s Tasting Notes on the Talisker 1957 Gordon & Macphail 1970s
Serge Valentin, a highly respected whisky reviewer and owner of WhiskyFun.com sampled this Talisker in 2006. It remains one of his favorite expressions of Talisker in the world. This is what he had to say:
“Colour: deep amber.
Nose: frankly more resinous, smokier, even more on crystallized fruits, with a beautiful sherry. Very maritime at that, with an incredible amplitude. Amazing development on coffee, flints, coal, charcoal, candied grapefruit, dried tangerines, Seville oranges again, cappuccino… A beautiful ‘minerality’, with the sherry mingling superbly with the smoke. Keeps developing on something herbal (fresh parsley), getting even richer, on furniture polish and leather, cigar box… ‘Wow!’
Mouth: a powerful attack on sherry, smoke and pepper just as it ‘should be’. Fabulous dryness, lots of bitter chocolate, armagnac-soaked prunes, superb silky tannins… Goes on with salty liquorice, old walnut liqueur, blackcurrant jelly, all sorts of dried and crystallized fruits (no need to list them all)…
The finish is amazingly long, on pepper, prunes and walnut oil as well as strong chestnut honey and orange liqueur, with kind of a bitterness that makes for a beautiful counterpoint to the relative sweetness. This one reminds me of the famous Springbank 12 yo 100° proof selected by Samaroli – which means it’ll be no less than 96 points.” – Serge Valentin, WhiskyFun.com, September 2006.
Auction Prices
This old Talisker whisky is one of the oldest that you are likely to find on the secondary market. Therefore, it does command a premium. The most recent bottle to sell at auction in the UK was sold in June 2024 at Whisky Auctioneer for £4,900.
The auction record for this bottle currently stands at £5,347.50, sold at WhiskyAuction.com in April 2019.
A Brief History of Talisker Distillery
Talisker Distillery, nestled on the rugged Isle of Skye, boasts a rich history dating back to 1830. Founded by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill, the distillery had a hard start in life. The MacAskill brothers went bankrupt in 1848, and Talisker was passed from pillar to post for the next few decades. It was purchased by Roderick Kemp (later of The Macallan) in 1880 and eventually found its way into the hands of what would later become Diageo in 1916.
Throughout the 20th century, Talisker grew in reputation despite facing numerous challenges, including a devastating fire in 1960 that led to a complete rebuild. The resilience of the distillery was evident in its swift recovery and continued dedication to traditional methods, including the use of worm tubs and wooden washbacks, which impart a unique character to the whisky.
Talisker’s robust, peaty, and peppery flavor profile has earned it a loyal following and critical acclaim. The distillery’s location, battered by Atlantic winds, lends a distinctive maritime quality to its whiskies.
Talisker Distillery was recently joined on the island by Torabhaig Distillery, established in 2017.