Talisker 10 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review

When it comes to peated Scotch, there’s a whole spectrum of intensity—and we’re starting to realize Talisker might have found the sweet spot. This week, we’re diving into the Talisker 10 Year, our first-ever review from the Talisker distillery. It's a single malt Scotch whisky aged for a decade and bottled at 91.6 proof (45.8% ABV). We got our hands on a 200ml sample bottle as part of a “coastal” themed Scotch set—and it turns out this bottle has a whole lot to say for itself. Here's our full breakdown.

The following review is taken from our episode "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 / Talisker 10." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format.

Nose

Brad:
Man, it is a really nice nose. I'm getting like soft peat. It's not like overpowering—with little bits of brine and a bit of caramel to kind of underlay it. It's got almost like that salted caramel smell. And then there's leather and tobacco and green apple as I got deeper into it. This is an incredibly complex nose for me that I really like.
**Score: ** 9/10

Bob:
This was a complex nose. If there is a slight ding on it, it's that I didn't get a lot of notes at once. I poured it out, and the thing that was blasting out of the glass was, like you said, brine. But for me, it was like green olives. It smelled like a whiskey martini.

To its credit, I wasn’t all the way turned off by that. I set it down and let it kind of air out for a few minutes. After about three minutes, you get past that olive note and a lot of subtle sweetness comes out. You get that butterscotchy caramel thing, but those notes weren’t layered—they came in waves.
**Score: ** 7.5/10

Taste

Brad:
It is oaky and leather and tobacco and a layer of smoky peat on top that undergirds it. I am a big, big fan of what they’re putting out here.
**Score: ** 9/10

Bob:
I’m going to give this an 8.5 on taste. Everyone knows I like my sweet whiskeys, and this one is sweet from the get-go. It had that vague honey sweetness that stayed candy sweet throughout the experience.

The smoke on this was really subtle. And then it hit me like a Gushers. I went to swallow it and it had one last burst of spice—black pepper and cinnamon—that went all the way through my mouth. It wasn’t there the whole way through, but it shot back up my tongue. A great drinking experience.

Finish

Brad:
You get a little bit extra smoke at the end that really sits on the back of your throat for a while. It's mixed with oak and saline. For me, the finish is almost where I got a lot of that honeyed sweetness. There's a little bit of butterscotch that just lingered.
**Score: ** 9/10

Bob:
The finish doesn’t burn going down—it’s warming, not hot—but the alcohol was prickly on my tongue and stayed that way. This packs a punch for 91 proof, and I appreciate that. I do think it was a slight step down from the taste, though.
**Score: ** 7.5/10

Balance

Bob:
This is just a really well-balanced whiskey. I enjoyed the tasting experience a lot—it was actually fun to drink. Usually you just appreciate a whiskey or think it’s delicious, but this one was fun.
**Score: ** 8.5/10

Brad:
9.5/10. The note I took was “killer balance.” It just hits every part from nose to finish perfectly. This is the perfect balance of a sweet, complex, smoky whiskey. I would buy a bottle of this in a heartbeat.

Value

Brad:
Talisker 10 Year comes in at $55 in the state of Ohio, which is one of the easiest value scores I’ve ever given.
**Score: ** 10/10

Bob:
Getting a 10-year peated Scotch for $55—you’re not going to get much lower than that. I think Laphroaig 10 is probably a couple bucks cheaper, but I like this a lot more. I’m just torn because peated Scotch isn’t my favorite subgenre. When I think about $55, I wonder what kind of bourbon I could get instead. But even then, this is still a great value for what it is.
**Score: ** 8/10

Final Scores

• **Brad’s Total: ** 46.5/50

• **Bob’s Total: ** 40/50

• **Average: ** 43.25/50

Conclusion:

This is an easy recommendation. With a combined score of 43.25/50, Talisker 10 Year earns our “strong buy” rating. At Film & Whiskey, we generally say 35/50 is the threshold for a bar pour or a budget-friendly buy, 40/50 is great, and anything above 45/50 is excellent. This one hits right in the sweet spot between great and excellent.

If you're curious about peated Scotch but don't want to dive into the deep end with something like Ardbeg or Laphroaig, Talisker 10 Year is the perfect entry point. It's got smoke, it's got brine, it's got sweetness—and it all comes together beautifully. Give it a try. Or better yet, grab a bottle.