Smokehead Rum Rebel Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

let’s begin

Sweet, spicy and smoky. What’s not to love about Smokehead’s Rum Rebel edition?

Islay’s Finest

Made by Ian Macloed Distillers, Smokehead is a brand that captures the best parts of Islay malt: the smoke. Islay is world renowned for the heavily peated malts made on the island and Smokehead is a celebration of that intense flavour.

The brand has a range of exciting iterations of the original Smokehead, including Smokehead Sherry Bomb and Smokehead High Voltage (bottled at a whopping 58%. Smokehead Rum Rebel is the latest in their line up.

Smokehead is certainly a very peated dram and has a really brilliant flavour profile at the same time, but if you’re a big fan of the likes of Laphroaig and Ardbeg, then this might be a bit of a let down.

That being said, the brand does create some brilliant malts that are perfectly enjoyable anyway. Just don’t come in expecting smoke to billow out of your ears the first time you try it.

Smokehead Rum Rebel Single Malt Islay Whisky

This expression has been released to celebrate International Rum Day, which is on August 11^th, if you want to mark it in the diary for next year.

The malt has been matured in Rum casks, as you might have guessed. It’s bottled at 46% and has an exciting flavour profile, the likes of which you might not have encountered before!

Tasting notes for Smokehead Rum Rebel Scotch Single Malt Islay Whisky

The nose begins with notes of damp earth and sea salt, with a wonderful peated backdrop. Spicy notes of cinnamon and sugar cane give it a lovely sweetness and heat. The smoke combines elegantly with these warmer notes.

The palate brims with flavour. Amongst the intense peat smoke you get sweet notes of chocolate, candy floss and lots of vanilla. Warmer flavour also appear, as does the tell tale islay notes of seaside air and iodine.

The finish is bold, focussing in on the peat, with a hint of campfire and a sweet vanilla.

This is an exquisite malt that is well worth taking a look at, whether your into peat or not. The rum flavours are brilliant and really add life to the smoke. Definitely one for the whisky bucket list.

What do you think of the Smokehead range? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Tags: IslayRum RebelScotch WhiskySingle MaltSmokehead

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.