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Smokehead

Pungent Ian MacLeod Islay Malt

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@VictorReview by @Victor

30th Jul 2014

0

Smokehead
  • Nose
    23
  • Taste
    22
  • Finish
    21
  • Balance
    21
  • Overall
    87

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

Smokehead is an Islay Single malt from Ian MacLeod. There is no age statement. Thanks to @Pudge72 for the reviewed sample

Nose: strong intensity, sharp, pungent, piercing smoke, peat, and brine. The peat is a combination of both sweet and bitter. The underlying barley smells good, too, in a supporting role. Beautiful, really, and better than I was expecting. Water rounded, mellowed, and bundled the flavours

Taste: very crisp in the mouth, too, with the taste of smoke almost stronger than the smoke in the nose; effective and strong translation of the nose flavours. Water dilutes and brings out bitterness

Finish: the peat and smoke just camp out on the tongue; better, less bitter finish without water

Balance: hard-core smoke and peat lovers will love Smokehead. For 43% abv these are extremely intense flavours. A reviewer who values above all else Big Flavours and is a Peathead might well rate this whisky 92-95 pts. Complexity is limited to the peat and brine related flavours, though. Smokehead tastes to me closest to a very smokey Lagavulin

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2 comments

Rigmorole commented

Have you tried the D&T's The Big Smoke 60 (120 proof)? If so, how does that compare with the Smokehead that you so graciously reviewed, Victor?

10 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@rigmorole, I haven't seen The Big Smoke 60, but it is certainly a whisky that I would like to sample. Chances are that I will enjoy it.

10 years ago 0