Tasting: 3 Smokehead Single Malt Islay Scotch Whiskies

When it comes to dedicated niches in the spirits world, there’s really none out there that can compare to the love-hate relationship that heavily peated single malt scotch whisky engenders among drinkers. These smoke and earth-forward drams–many famously hailing from the western island of Islay off the Scottish coast–are beloved by many drinkers who think of “scotch whisky” in generally peat-forward terms, but these drinkers have always been a very specific cohort of scotch enthusiasts. There are just as many drinkers who abhor the smoky, medicinal tones of your average flagship brands from the likes of Lagavulin or Laphroaig. And it goes pretty much without saying that the likes of Smokehead also wouldn’t be for these folks. Although with a name like “Smokehead,” one would hope that the prospective consumer would have a pretty good idea of what they’re likely about to taste.

The Smokehead brand has been around for a good while, and is owned by Ian Macleod Distillers, which operates the likes of Tamdhu, Glengoyne and Rosebank. This brand, however, is a sourced one–Smokehead doesn’t have its own distillery, but the fact that it bottles single malts tells us that each product is sourced from a single producer. As for which Islay distillery that might be? Well, it’s a mystery to the everyday drinker, though I’ve seen plenty of suggestions of the likes of Lagavulin or Caol Ila. Regardless, this brand, as the name would imply, is hyperfocused specifically on especially peat-forward single malts (non-age stated), some with additional cask finishes. It’s a brand with a modern, irreverent approach–with expression names like “Sherry Blast,” coupled with the ostentatious skull-and-bones imagery, it feels a bit like a single malt brand being presented by the fusion of Mountain Dew and Tapout. Elegance and history are not what they’re trying to evoke here.

That should likewise be clear from the recently announced “Smoke Mask” glassware from the brand, a fancifully blown piece of volcanic-looking black glass that flares on one end, with the intent being that the user can stick their entire nose into the glass to get more aromas while tilting the liquid into their mouth. Having tried the glass myself in this tasting it certainly works as intended, intensifying the smoky bouquet, though arguably it’s better suited to the lower proof flagship than some of the higher-ABV expressions like the 116 proof High Voltage, which can be quite aggressive on the nose. This smoky chalice is retailing now for a mere £120.00.

So with that said, let’s dive into tasting three of these Smokehead expressions.

Smokehead Original Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 43% (86 proof)

The flagship Smokehead expression is appreciably free from gimmickry, being simply a peat-rich single malt scotch whisky from one of the classic Islay distilleries. The nose here suggests toffee sweetness before the requisite waves of smoke, in the form of mesquite BBQ and Lapsang souchong tea. It’s still a pretty sweet nose overall, though, suggesting caramel apples and a caramelized nuttiness evoking praline.

On the palate is where the smoke element truly steps to the foreground. This is aggressively smoke forward to be sure, with lots of ciagrette smoke, tar, salt and brine up front, segueing into baked apple fruitiness. There’s some dried fruit character as well, and mild to moderate sweetness, paired with burnt wood and charred cinnamon sticks. The roast has given this a moderate level of roasty astringency, and also some trailing bitterness, though nothing too unpleasant. It is, like the name would suggest from the start, a dram that only those who appreciate peat are likely to really gel with. At the same time, there are certainly elements beyond smoke and peat at play here, and the overall presentation isn’t disappointingly one note. You just, you know … have to like the smoke, because there’s no looking past it.

Smokehead Rum Rebel Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46% (92 proof)

This slightly elevated proof point expression has been given a Caribbean rum cask finish, though we don’t really have any more details than that. Where in the Caribbean? How long in casks, etc.? You’ll just have to infer for yourself.

On the nose, Rum Rebel is a little bit softer in terms of the upfront smoke character, although even this modest boost in the ABV shows up in the form of punchier ethanol presence, particularly out of the Smoke Mask glassware. There’s significantly more caramel presence here, paired with nutty cocoa nibs and wood fire, along with heavy vanilla bean and traces of coconut.

On the palate, this one is significantly sweeter than the flagship expression, though it still has the intense cigarette smoke, tar and brine to balance out the additional sweetness. I’m getting a lot of dessert apple, vanilla extract and brighter, tarter green apple–the whole thing has a significant acidity to it. This transitions into more of a spicy-hot back end, with significant peppery tingling. The burnt bitterness is still present, but more balanced as a whole thanks to the greater residual sweetness. It’s an interesting dram.

Smokehead High Voltage Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 58% (116 proof)

Now this expression is just throwing caution to the wind–any time you get a classic Islay single malt with this kind of proof point behind it, you know you’re going to be dealing with a flavor bomb.

On the nose, it’s a lot to take in. There’s a lot of sweetness to access here, in the form of honeycomb candy, vanilla and fresh applesauce, along with traces of cocoa. The smoke has taken on a fiery dimension, like the fuel is still burning. Drinking from the Smoke Mask glassware, the ethanol is tough to get past at times, concentrating and prickling in the nose. It is intense, as promised.

The palate, meanwhile, is a rather pleasant surprise because it’s not as intensely hot or prickly as the nose. The honeycomb candy returns, along with heavy, heavy peat–very briny, but bright, enlivened by citrus and wave after wave of campfire smoke. The aspect that differentiates this bottle from the previous expressions ends up being spice, however, as the baking spice is much more pronounced at this proof point. I’m getting bold, rambunctious notes of spicy oak, allspice and sweet clove here. The ethanol, meanwhile, is robust but thankfully short of being overwhelming. A very full flavored dram, as they surely intended, but with no shortage of sweetness and spice to back up the huge peat.

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.