Distillery portrait TALISKER
The malted barley used at the Talisker distillery has been bought in from Glen Ord since 1972, when Talisker's onsite maltings were abandoned. The malt has a peat level of 22ppm and the terroir is decidedly brazen; the Hebridean climate punishes the shores of the Isle of Skye, on which Talisker is the sole distillery.
Though the whisky distillery is far from large - its capacity is rather modest at less than two million litres annually - Talisker has attained a sterling reputation and sales are currently at around 100,000 cases per annum. Perhaps this is due to its inclusion in the 1988-released Classic Malts range. The Talisker whisky distillery was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill. Talisker sits at Skye’s western coast, at Loch Harport. The area is steeped in tradition and local custom; indeed, Scotch Gaelic is still spoken.
In 1898, the whisky distillery became a part of Dailuaine-Talisker Distillers Company under the charge of Thomas Mackenzie. Following his death in 1916, a consortium including Distillers Company Limited acquired the distillery. There are two wash stills and, bizarrely, three spirit stills. The third spirit still is still in place and dates back to the period before 1928 when Talisker produced triple distilled malt whisky.
About Talisker Whisky Distillery
Distillery Owner
Diageo
Distillery Founded
1830
Distillery Status
Active
Distillery Address
Carbost, Isle of Skye, Inverness-shire IV47 8SR
Distillery Number
01478 614308
Distillery Website
www.malts.com
1830
Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill, sons of the local doctor, found the distillery.
1848
The brothers transfer the lease to
1854
Kenneth MacAskill dies.
1857
North of Scotland Bank sells the distillery to Donald MacLennan for £500.
1863
MacLennan experiences difficulties in making operations viable and puts the distillery up for sale.
1865
MacLennan, still working at the distillery, nominates John Anderson as agent in Glasgow.
1867
Anderson & Co. from Glasgow takes over.
1879
John Anderson is imprisoned after having sold non-existing casks of whisky.
1880
New owners are now Alexander Grigor Allan and Roderick Kemp.
1892
Kemp sells his share and buys Macallan Distillery instead.
1894
The Talisker Distillery Ltd is founded.
1895
Allan dies and Thomas Mackenzie, who has been his partner, takes over.
1898
Talisker Distillery merges with Dailuaine-Glenlivet Distillers and Imperial Distillers to form Dailuaine-Talisker Distillers Company.
1916
Thomas Mackenzie dies and the distillery is taken over by a consortium consisting of, among others, John Walker, John Dewar, W. P. Lowrie and Distillers Company Limited (DCL).
1928
The distillery abandons triple distillation.
1930
Administration of the distillery is transferred to Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD).
1960
On 22nd November the distillery catches fire and substantial damage occurs.
1962
The distillery reopens after the fire with five new identical copies of the destroyed stills.
1972
Malting ceases and malt is now purchased from Glen Ord Central Maltings.
1988
United Distillers introduce Classic Malts, Talisker 10 years included. A visitor centre is opened.
1998
A new stainless steel/copper mash tun and five new worm tubs are installed. Talisker is launched as a Distillers Edition with an amoroso sherry finish.
2004
Two new bottlings appear, an 18 year old and a 25 year old.
2005
To celebrate the 175th birthday of the distillery, Talisker 175th Anniversary is released
2006
A 30 year old and the fourth edition of the 25 year old are released.
2007
The second edition of the 30 year old and the fifth edition of the 25 year old are released.
2008
Talisker 57O North, sixth edition of the 25 year old and third edition of the 30 year old are launched.
Reproduced from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2009
City of Cologne Germany
