Smokehead Rock Edition II Islay Single Malt Scotch 46.6% 1.0l

Those whisky friends who like smoky malts will love this Smokehead The Rock Edition. The Smokehead brand is well-known for its heavy peated products and this edition is another extreme expression.

On the nose this single malt Scotch is already expressing its heavy peated character so that the nose really has to get used to the strong smoke before it can find the other aromas. Little by little nuances of lemon, fruits, ginger and a slight saltiness find their way through the wads of smoke.

A sip of this rich dram feels like an explosion and reaches even to the farthest part of the mouth. Smoky peat is hitting like a cannonball and demands the whole palate for itself. After a short while, peppery notes, a slight bitterness and even a light sweetness as well as a fruity touch loosen up the smoky character. The finish is, of course, dominated by smoky peat and shows just a mellow fruitiness and spicy notes.

The Rock Edition from Smokehead is as wild and boisterous as the other expressions of company and could be the character of a real rock star. The label has the typical black and white design that is pepping up the landscape of the traditional whisky marketing. Furthermore, the limited edition metal tin is part of the designer packaging. It shows a big skull that is slightly smoking and its embossments make it even more unique. At first sight it becomes clear that this single malt Scotch is not for faint-hearted.

Whiskies from Smokehead’s range are coming from the Isle of Islay. Even though the company is not giving any comment on which distillery is producing the spirits, there are many rumours and lots of opinions about it. Some say the character reminds of Laphroaig, Lagavulin or Ardberg. Others conjecture that Caol Ila is selling parts of its single malts to Smokehead. What would you guess?