Smokehead, the rebellious Islay single malt Scotch whisky, is gatecrashing gifting this festive season with its bold smoky flavour and boundary-pushing attitude. This Halloween and Christmas, the brand is putting its hero expression, the award-winning Smokehead Original, front and centre.
Bottled at both 40% Smokehead Original is peaty, salty and spicy with a subtly sweet finish – an explosion of peppery heat softened by honeyed sweetness, before salt, spice, seaweed and smoke return, and a finish of exotic spice and citrus tang before the peat roars back.
Serious about whisky but less interested in convention, Smokehead is sourced secretly from an unknown distillery in Islay and unusually has no rules about how its whisky should be enjoyed. This boundary-pushing attitude has very much established Smokehead as the rebel of Islay single malt whisky. Winner of two prestigious awards in 2026, Gold at the International Spirit Challenge and Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, it’s a great gift for those who want bold taste, but who don’t do playing it safe, especially when it comes to their dram.
The dark flint bottle, adorned with a skull, also makes Smokehead a great fit for Halloween drinking, with the smoky, spicy flavours a well-suited match for spooky season.
Product Details
Product: Smokehead Original, Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Format: 70cl
RRP: £41 (40%)
Availability: Tesco UK-wide (Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons in Scotland-only.)
Tasting Notes
Nose: Fiery, heavy earthy peat and woodsmoke, fresh lemon, zesty ginger, rich plum jam.
Palate: An explosion of peppery, peaty heat soothed by honeyed sweetness, before salt, spices, seaweed and smoke return.
Finish: Exotic spices and a citrus tang of mandarin, then the peat roars back.
Beyond Original, Smokehead’s wider range offers something for every kind of rebel – from the halo tier of Unfiltered, 15 Year Old and High Voltage, to cask-finished expressions Sherry Cask Blast, Rum Cask Rebel, Tequila Cask Terminado and Twisted Stout.
Smokehead will also be partnering with Skull Crusher to launch a new limited-edition Skull Crusher Barrel Aged coffee, later in the year, a coffee designed for those who like their drinks with a bit of an edge.
