Talisker whisky

Talisker is Diageo’s distillery at Carbost on the Isle of Skye, on the shore of Loch Harport, founded in 1830 by the MacAskill brothers. Skye is legally part of the Highland region; the Islands are a grouping we use for browsing. The name is pronounced TAL-is-kur.

Its core single malts are all bottled at 45.8% ABV: the 10 Year Old (£42.45 at Hard To Find Whisky), the no-age-statement Skye (£33.95 at Master of Malt) and Storm (£45.95 at Master of Malt), and the Distillers Edition (£68.50 at Master of Malt), which is finished in a second cask after its first maturation. Annual Special Releases and older bottlings sit alongside them, and the grid includes smaller 20cl bottles, so compare like with like.

Talisker’s peated style is smoky and peppery; the peat tag on our bottles reflects house style rather than a measurement for each bottle. For other smoky malts, see the best smoky whiskies and the best peated whisky under £50. For the history, see Talisker on Whiskipedia. Prices are the best current in-stock offer from the UK retailers we check (how we compare prices).

17 full-size bottles (50cl to 1 litre) in stock, plus 2 smaller bottles under 50cl, with the best current price from the UK retailers we check.

Known for

The flavour families that most often turn up for Talisker, based on its available bottles.

A guide to the house style rather than a promise: individual releases can differ.

About the distillery

Region
Islands, Scotland
Founded
1830
Status
Producing
Capacity
3.5 million litres of pure alcohol a year (stated capacity, not actual output); as recorded October 2026. Number 62 of 169 by stated capacity.
Stills
5 (2 wash, 3 spirit)
Owner
Owned by Diageo (since 1916); as recorded October 2026
Say it
TAL*is*kur
Notable
Worm-tub condensers, Coastal site
SMWS code
14, the number on Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottlings (SMWS code decoder)
Visitor tours
Open to visitors; Distillery Tour and Tasting from £22 (producer's page, checked November 2026). See distillery tour guide.
Visitor rating
4.2 out of 5 (2505 reviews); TripAdvisor, October 2026
Travel Index
Rank #22 in Scotland (Bronze Tier), score 73.4/100. Milroy's Travel Index.

Read the full history on Whiskipedia

Secondary Market Barometer

13,181 lots sold · £3.6m hammer total

How Talisker bottles have traded at Scotch Whisky Auctions, Whisky Auctioneer and Whisky Hammer between May 2011 and October 2026. Hammer prices exclude buyer's premium, VAT and delivery, except that a Whisky Hammer price includes 20% VAT when a VAT-registered business sells the lot.

Trading volume
#23Often tradedof 181 distilleries by lots sold
Bids per lot
19.8Average biddingWhisky Auctioneer only, against 20.5 across all distilleries
Median hammer price
£98.00average £273.63, pulled up by the top lots
Independent bottlings
8%of lots (1,031), the rest official bottlings (12,150)Median hammer: official £95.00, independent £498.00
Highest hammer prices
BottleSoldHammer
Talisker 8 Year Old2026£13,100.00
Talisker 12 Year Old - The Distillers Agency2025£12,000.00
Talisker 1937 Berry Bros & Rudd 26 2/3 Fl Oz2021£7,500.00
Most often sold
BottleLotsMedian
Talisker 10 Year Old1,368£45.00
Talisker 18 Year Old766£100.00
Talisker Select Reserve Game of Thrones - House Greyjoy426£45.00
Top independent bottlers
BottlerLotsMedian
Gordon & MacPhail582£950.00
Douglas Laing146£75.00
Cadenhead67£500.00

Past auction results, not a valuation or a guide to future prices. Figures compiled 12 November 2026.

Before comparing a hammer price with a shop price, add the fees: buying whisky at auction vs retail works through them. Auction medians for many brands have fallen since their 2021 and 2022 peaks, as what 1.6 million auction lots show about whisky prices sets out.

Questions

What is the cheapest Talisker whisky?
The cheapest Talisker whisky is Talisker Skye (45.8% ABV, 70cl), at £33.95 from Master of Malt. That is £38.90 delivered to the UK mainland for one bottle. Next cheapest: Talisker 10 Year Old (£42.45) and Talisker Storm (£45.95).
How much does Talisker whisky cost?
Talisker whisky costs from £33.95 to £4,699.95, with a median of £90.00 for a full-size bottle (50cl to 1 litre). The dearest is Talisker Magma Single Malt Scotch 47 Year Old Whisky.
What is the oldest Talisker whisky you can buy?
Talisker Magma Single Malt Scotch 47 Year Old Whisky, at 47 years old, from £4,699.95.
What is the difference between Talisker 10, Skye and Storm?
The 10 Year Old carries an age statement, so the youngest whisky in it is 10 years old. Skye and Storm are no-age-statement bottlings, which means only that the youngest whisky is at least three years old. All three are bottled at 45.8% ABV, and Diageo describes the range’s style as peppery and maritime.
Is Talisker peated?
Yes. Diageo describes Talisker as having a smoky, maritime character and a peppery finish. A malt’s peat level does not directly predict how smoky the whisky tastes.
Is Talisker an Islay whisky?
No. Talisker is made at Carbost on the Isle of Skye. Skye’s distilleries are legally part of the Highland region under the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009; the Islands are an informal grouping, used by shops and writers, for the whisky islands other than Islay.
What does Talisker taste like?
Diageo describes Talisker as maritime and peppery, with smoke and dried-fruit sweetness, and markets it under the line “Made by the Sea”.
Who owns Talisker?
Diageo, whose malts include Lagavulin and Caol Ila on Islay. Talisker was founded in 1830 by the brothers Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill at Carbost on Loch Harport, on Skye’s west coast, and came to Diageo through its forerunner, the Distillers Company. See Talisker on Whiskipedia.