TALU Cognac and Oloroso Cask English Whiskey Bundle, 2 x 70cl

This bundle contains 2 x 70cl of TALU's 8 Year Old English Whiskeys, a Cognac Cask finish and an Oloroso Sherry finish:

TALU Cognac Cask English Whiskey, 70cl
TALU Cognac Cask uses rye, barley and maize rather than the malted barley of most English whisky, which gives a softer, sweeter base for the cask influence to work on. TALU matures the spirit in level-four charred American white oak, then finishes it in first-fill VSOP Cognac casks.

That Cognac influence is what carries the whiskey, bringing ripe fig, French vanilla and a patisserie-like sweetness, with poached pear, toffee and pistachio on the palate and a finish of honeycomb and candied ginger over mature oak. It is bottled at 43% Alc., is natural in colour and non-chill filtered, so nothing is stripped from the texture.

This whisky sits nicely at the approachable, flavour-forward end of English whiskey: smooth enough for someone finding their way into cask-finished whiskies, with enough going on for a considered after-dinner dram. It also makes a straightforward gift for a Cognac or bourbon drinker who is curious about English whiskey.

TALU Oloroso Cask English Whiskey, 70cl

The TALU Oloroso Cask is the richest and most traditional-tasting of their three whiskies. TALU matures its rye, barley and maize spirit in level-four charred American white oak, then finishes it in first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads, which is where both the deep colour and much of the flavour come from.

The sherry influence yields flavours of candied dates, cherry jam, dark chocolate and cinnamon sugar, with glazed walnuts and a long, spiced-fruitcake finish over rich oak. It is bottled at 43% Alc. and non-chill filtered, with a natural colour drawn entirely from the cask rather than added.

We recommend reaching for this one if you already enjoy sherried whisky and want to see what an English grain spirit does with a first-fill Oloroso cask. It suits an after-dinner setting and makes a safe gift for most whisky drinkers.