NOSE A light nose-feel with some prickle. The top notes are sweet and maritime, with hints of molasses and crystalline sugar vying with dry seaweed, crystal salt and iodine, then ‘pear drop’ boiled fruit sweets below, on a smoky base with traces of charred meat. A drop of water softens the attack, increasing the maritime character and reducing the sweet notes, while introducing a hint of smoke.

PALATE A soft, smooth texture and a big taste; salty and especially, lightly sweet, before the full-on Talisker pepperiness takes over. Very drying. Water rounds it, softening the rich sweetness and bringing up the pepper, but the profile is similar.

FINISH Long, hotly peppery and drying, finishing sweet and smoky with the typical Talisker chilli-pepper ‘catch’ in the swallow. With water more rounded but similar, leaving a thread of smoke on the tongue.