Whiskey Reviews: Talnua Core Range, produced by is underscored on Talnuas website which notes that their oldest whiskey is only four years old at 86 proof — at $75, the question is whether it delivers on its promise. I sat down with a pour to find out.
Nose
Medium gold color, very clear with a medium-to-light body. Light color, light body with durable legs. Golden color, medium body. Light straw clear and light-bodied. Grassy vanilla with a hint of toasty wood lingering in the background. Vanilla bean and toast with honey. , which captures several classic notes of both pot still and bourbon and manages to intertwine them in a way that makes sense, with the oak supplying a common denominator or pivot point between the two. Score: 3.5/5 Talnua Continuum Cask Whiskey (image via Talnua) Tasting Notes: Talnua Continuum Cask Whiskey Vital Stats: Aged a minimum of 18 months in virgin white oak casks, then harvested and vatted into a larger, solera-inspired continuum cask. 86 proof. Sells for $50. Appearance: Golden color, medium body. Nose: Sweet malt barley and autumnal spices. Herbal tea with honey. It takes a second before this dram shows its personality, but the barrel eventually makes a strong impression. Oak so strong that its almost resinous is accompanied by the warmth of cinnamon and a hint of sweet vanilla that fades Into a toasty finish of dried apricot and quality tobacco. Final Thoughts: The mild opening is deceptive as this opens up and hits some classic pot still notes but also brings a unique twist. I quit smoking around three years ago and rarely miss it at this point, but the finish on this glass legitimately left me craving an American Spirit. Score: 4/5 Talnua Bourbon Cask and Stave (image via Talnua) Tasting Notes: Talnua Bourbon Cask and Stave Vital Stats: Aged 3 years in American ex-bourbon casks with charred virgin white oak staves. 86 proof. Sells for $75. Appearance: Light color, light body with durable legs. Nose: Vanilla bean and toast with honey. Palate: Cereal grains and mild wood open, the wood turns toasty and builds into earthy spice. Final Thoughts: My very favorite moments here came on the nose, which captures several classic notes of both pot still and bourbon and manages to intertwine them in a way that makes sense, with the oak supplying a common denominator or pivot point between the two. Score: 3.5/5 Talnua Continuum Cask Whiskey (image via Talnua) Tasting Notes: Talnua Continuum Cask Whiskey Vital Stats: Aged a minimum of 18 months in virgin white oak casks, then harvested and vatted into a larger, solera-inspired continuum cask. 86 proof. Sells for $50. Appearance: Golden color, medium body. Nose: Sweet malt barley and autumnal spices. Palate: A big bowl of oatmeal with butter and cinnamon moves into light toasty vanilla. I occasionally seem to catch a hint of bright, almost tropical fruit on the finish. Final Thoughts: Similarly to the White Oak Cask, I felt that this dram did not make a particularly strong first impression but really came alive after a few moments on the palate. The more I sipped this, the more I liked it, which seems a good omen for a continuum cask. Score: 4/5 Talnua Heritage Selection Whiskey (image via Talnua) Tasting Notes: Talnua Heritage Selection Whiskey Vital Stats: Talnuas pot still whiskey blended with grain whiskey distilled in Ireland and aged a minimum of 18 months. 86 proof. Sells for $50. Appearance: Light straw clear and light-bodied. Nose: Herbal tea with honey. Palate: The mellow, round sweetness of the maize comes out the gate, and transitions through spice into cocoa nibs and cereal grain. Final Thoughts: This pour offers some nice flavors, but still feels young to me. Score: 3.5/5 Summary: Count me a fan of what Talnua is up to! One really cool thing about Talnuas core lineup is the range that it demonstrates within a single category. Despite the fact that each bottle is a Single Pot Still (except the Heritage Selection which is a closely adjacent Blend featuring Pot Still), all four of these offer something interesting and distinctly different from one another. Taken as a whole, the range strikes a deft balance between tradition and innovation. While my favorite of the bunch (the White Oak Cask) is arguably their most traditional expression, I fondly recognize the curious and experimental spirit of American craft brewing at work in the creative finishes and process wrinkles that Talnua applies. The youth of the distillery is underscored on Talnuas website which notes that their oldest whiskey is only four years old, but the promise seems obvious to me. Seeing as time is usually on whiskeys side, Ill be watching for further news from Talnua and, as a non-Coloradan, will hope that their distribution continues to widen!
Palate
Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.
The Bottom Line
Whiskey Reviews: Talnua Core Range is a perfectly respectable whiskey that does what it sets out to do. At $75, the value is reasonable — it will not blow your mind, but it will not disappoint you either. A reliable choice.
