The latest Smokehead release, Twisted Stout, was finished in stout casks.

Heavy beers such as stouts aged in whiskey barrels are all the rage. You may even have had a scotch-barrel-aged beer (This writer has. It had an ABV of more than 16% and packed quite a punch). But have you had a … beer-barrel-aged scotch?

If not, Ian MacLeod’s Smokehead brand is giving you a chance to taste just that with its new Twisted Stout, which Smokehead is calling “the twisted lovechild of whisky and beer.”

The Twisted Stout is an Islay single malt scotch. Part of the batch was finished in stout casks, done to imbue the whisky with “unfamiliar notes of rich chocolate and treacle toffee, vanilla ice cream, roasted nuts, and toasted biscuits,” according to Smokehead.

The Twisted Stout is available to be ordered order on Smokehead.com for £49.99.

Tasting notes:

• Nose: The usual island intensity of Smokehead comes cloaked in sweet aromas of cholcolate and treacle toffee. Maritime air meets a decent pint on the shore. Unexpected. Unusual. And unsettling for the senese.
• Taste: Hot and soothing at the same time. Salty smoke weaves its way around dry roasted nuts, toasted marshmallow, vanilla ice-cream and…is that someone putting a pot of fresh coffee on?
• Finish: New flavours unlocked. Old favourites reunited, wood smoke and spices. Malty, toasted biscuits. Zingy citrus. Dark and delicious. A fitting sign off from the twisted lovechild of whisky and beer.

Last month, Smokehead announced the first single-malt-scotch-based cocktail in a can.

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