TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl Cognac Cask: English Whiskey Finished in First-Fill VSOP Cognac Casks
Modern English whiskey | Rye, barley and maize | Level-four charred American oak | First-fill VSOP Cognac cask finish | 43% Alc. | 70cl | Natural colour | Non-chill filtered
Key Information
- Brand: TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl
- Origin: England
- Type: English whiskey (grain: rye, barley and maize)
- Age: 8 years
- Strength: 43% Alc.
- Volume: 70cl
- Maturation: Level-four charred American white oak
- Finish: First-fill VSOP Cognac hogsheads
- Colour: Natural
- Filtration: Non-chill filtered
- Batch: Small batch
- Character: Soft, sweet, fruit-led
Tasting Notes
Nose
Ripe fig, French vanilla, sugared almond and jasmine.
Palate
Poached pear, toffee, ripe grapes and pistachio.
Finish
Honeycomb and candied ginger over velvety, mature oak.
What Makes the TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl Cognac Cask Distinctive
- A grain mash bill of rye, barley and maize, rather than the malted barley used in most English single malt.
- Finished in first-fill VSOP Cognac hogsheads, so the Cognac leads the flavour rather than sitting in the background.
- Natural colour, drawn from the wood rather than added.
- Non-chill filtered, which keeps the texture and mouthfeel intact at 43% Alc.
- Matured for 8 years, then bottled in small batches.
Perfect For
Drinkers who enjoy
- Softer, sweeter, fruit-led whiskies
- Cognac or bourbon, and want to explore whiskey
- Cask-finished spirits
- English whiskey beyond single malt
Occasions
- An after-dinner dram
- A gift for a spirits enthusiast
- Comparing cask finishes side by side
- An introduction to English grain whiskey
About TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl
TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl is a modern English whiskey brand that works with grain mash bills of rye, barley and maize and a series of first-fill cask finishes, rather than following the Scotch single-malt template. The spirit is matured in level-four charred American white oak before finishing, and every expression is bottled at natural colour and non-chill filtered. TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl deliberately uses the "whiskey" spelling to mark its distance from Scotch and its debt to Irish, American and rye traditions.
Understanding English Whisky
English whisky is one of the fastest-growing categories in world whisky, with a growing number of distilleries across the country. Unlike Scotch, it carries no regional style rules, which leaves producers free to experiment with grain recipes and cask finishes. Most English whisky is single malt; grain expressions like this one, built from rye, barley and maize and finished in a brandy cask, are less common and show a sweeter, softer side of the category. Some producers, TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl among them, use the "whiskey" spelling, which is permitted in England and marks a deliberate break from Scotch convention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What kind of whiskey is the TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl Cognac Cask?
A: It is an English grain whiskey, made from rye, barley and maize, matured in charred American oak and finished in first-fill VSOP Cognac casks. It is not a single malt.
Q: Why is it spelled "whiskey" and not "whisky"?
A: TALU Smoked Mezcal Cask 8 Year Old English Whiskey, 70cl uses the "whiskey" spelling on purpose. It is permitted in England and signals that the brand is not trying to be a Scotch. English producers may use either spelling; Scotch always uses "whisky".
Q: What does the Cognac cask add?
A: The first-fill VSOP Cognac cask brings ripe fig, vanilla and a patisserie-like sweetness, with a soft, rounded texture. Because the cask is first-fill, that influence is pronounced rather than subtle.
Q: How should I serve it?
A: Neat in a tulip glass to begin with. A few drops of water will open up the fruit and soften the 43% Alc. strength. It also works well over a large piece of ice.
Q: How does it compare to Scotch?
A: The grain mash bill makes it softer and sweeter than a typical malt, and the Cognac finish pushes it towards orchard fruit and pastry rather than the cereal or smoke notes common in Scotch. It suits someone who finds some Scotch too dry.
