Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

[@ScullyPop]

Looking so great over here. The featured whiskey looks wonderful.

[@garysusick1653]

Great review ! The Smokehead seems like a great deal at $65 CDN vs $202 CDN for the Ardbeg Corrywrechan at the SAQ (Quebec liquor board).

[@Juniperlaneestatesales]

I appreciate you. Thank you for your reviews! Merry Christmas

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Merry Christmas!🎄

[@PezrulezHaakon]

That straightened out a lot of question marks for me. I never thought about it as a poor mans Corrywreckan, but when you said it, it maked a lot of sense. Corrywreckan is my absolute favourite whisky, so that explains why Smokehead is one of my favourite lower priced smoky whiskys 🤗 I also think that the standard Smokehead has more bang for the buck, than High Voltage. Thank you very much Erik, for this rewiew! 🤗

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

Great breakdown of this whisky my friend.

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Thank you kindly

[@BobbyJ_19x]

Awesome review Erik!! Have not seen this bottle locally, will need to keep an eye out for it. Merry Christmas!🎄

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Merry Christmas!🎄

[@michaelgonzalez347]

90 points is a good score. Sounds like a good bottle based on the notes you gave. I'll keep an eye out for that one. Thanks for your reviews. Have a Merry Christmas if I'm unable to catch the Christmas star trek live stream.

[@michaelhassler7446]

Corryvekken is my favorite Ardbeg right now. Caol Ila isn't the worst thing to drink, but it can't touch the big 3 (Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig) in my opinion. Thanks Erik, I'll keep an eye out for this one. Also, just saw there was a High Voltage offering of this Whisky, bottled at 58 percent ABV. It was about $10 more than this one, that one might fare better against the Corryvekken.

[@FEWGEE1]

Smokehead is now bottled at only 40%, unfortunately. I believe that's because they released Smokehead unfiltered, which is bottled at 46% and obviously non-chill filtered.

[@davet7185]

Extremely helpful review Erik. As the whole cost of living thing gets progressively harder over here, it's good to discover an accessible and credible NAS whisky with a potentially good pedigree from the doner distillery. 😀

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

We're going into a recession that mirrors the Jimmy Carter era because our current leader is following the same policies which leads to inflation. I generally don't get into politics but they do effect the price and availability of whisky.

[@davet7185]

@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Ah yes....the 'peanut farmer'; that takes me back a bit Erik. I agree though, keep politics out of your pleasures (be it whisky, sport or other pursuits). Regrettably, the general cost of living does affect your choices of so called 'luxury products', so if like me you're on a pension, you have to be very discerning about your whisky purchases. The Smokehead is currently on order, so I'll be interested to sample this along your review notes - which are always fully engaging and most informative.

[@l3adl3oyl2ick]

My wife just got this for me today for my birthday... as soon as I smelled it....I said this is ardbeg... tasted and yes... confirmed

[@lightplays2181]

Good whisky , good review : ) like !

[@Hogibaer]

Hey Erik, thanks for your input. At least with Smokehead 18 which was available up until about 2018, it was an open secret that it was indeed an Ardbeg. Seeing the pricing of the recent Ardbeg 19, it might be a good idea to look out for remnants the Smokehead 18... :-) Other than that there's a bazillion of different versions of Smokehead available over in Germany, 43%, 46%, 58%, ex-bourbon, bourbon+sherry casks, pure sherry cask... I wonder how the cask strength named High Voltage would fare against the Corry..? In any case, take care and Merry Christmas to you!

[@WhiskyLoversSociety]

Happy Xmas

[@Jeshwa15]

Seems everyone has a different opinion on where it's from. I have the High Voltage and I'd swear it's from Lagavulin. Tried it next to a Lagavulin 8 and they're at least close cousins if not siblings. There's a certain note I get from Lagavulin I can only describe as "purple" that I definitely get in the Smokehead. Regardless of where it's from, if you like peat, you'll certainly enjoy a dram!

[@siddeshbandekar1913]

Purple 😂😂😂😂🌿🌿

[@rjbachner2619]

Smokehead runs 70$ in Quebec, and Corryvreckan runs $200 so a titch more than 23$ difference. I love the smokehead and I can afford it occasionally.

[@sgoody1]

Another great review. Do you like this better than the Scarabus?

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

I need to do a side by side comparison

[@sgoody1]

@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies That would be great - please do one, especially as they are both independent, from Islay with similar characteristics. 🙏

[@jordanthecoder]

When I heard BBQ I figured it had to be Ardbeg.

[@zenmonk420]

Any chance you could do High Voltage comparison?

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Not any time soon as I have moved on to a new series.

[@garysusick1653]

What would be your preference the Smokehead vs Compass Box Peat Monster ?

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Compass Box Peat Monster

[@garysusick1653]

Thanks for the reply. I just picked up both the Smokehead and Compass Box Peat Monster - looking forward to trying both !

[@zerokidd21]

Have you tried the smokehead high voltage? I seen it online and saw it had a higher abv but couldn't really tell if it's the same juice just at a higher proof.

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

This is my first Smokehead.

[@zerokidd21]

@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies well I haven't either haha but if I do I'll let you know =) merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate and happy new years

[@gabrielbarcelo5233]

Can you age 🇺🇸 whisky and call it Irish whisky? Thanks great video

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Irish Whiskey can only legally be made and aged in Ireland. However, Americans can certainly make Irish style whiskey, such as Single Pot Still Whiskey such as Talnua in Colorado.

[@gabrielbarcelo5233]

@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies thank you 🙏

[@colinbrockwell7274]

Smoke head for me over other Islay whisky taste and price

[@colinbrockwell7274]

just bought a bottle from my local supper market in a paper box only 40% vol and still 70cl and still £25 pounds i hope the taste has not altered i e no medical notes

[@FEWGEE1]

@@colinbrockwell7274 yeah, they reduced the ABV... Buy Smokehead unfiltered next time. It's a bit more expensive, but it's bottled at 46% and is obviously non-chill filtered.

[@joseechevarria277]

Now, it's sold for $50. & the best cigar to pair it with; Is the Gurkha PURE EVIL in Toro.

[@JasonFisk]

The Smokehead range are all, Call Ila. Try to find a Mac-Talla.

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Never heard of Call Ila. Caol Ila, yes. But not Call Ila - LOL!. Do you have any resources that state it is all form Caol Ila? Read some of the other comment (from Hogibear) and and at least one person states it has been known to be made from Ardbeg.