Nobel Rebel is a range of blended malt whiskies, created by the Loch Lomond group and launched late 2023. It contains single malts from Loch Lomond and Glen Scotia distilleries. Each expression is built around a different profile. We’re trying Orchard Outburst, which focuses on fruity notes and vanilla, as expected from ex-bourbon casks.
Noble Rebel – Orchard Outburst (46%, OB 2024, blended malt, ex-bourbon casks)
Nose: light and friendly. Plenty of crisp apples and pears, along with some lime and foam bananas. Then some grassy and blossomy touches, along with spring honey. There’s some white pepper tingle and a hint of custard powder as well. Slightly sharp but attractive.
Mouth: quite punchy again, with lots of green fruits now. Lime, grapefruit, green apple. Light vanilla, later some peach as well. Then zesty / waxy notes come out, along with a saline touch. Grassy notes with hints of cinnamon, more white pepper and subtle wildflowers. The green character makes it a tad sharp and narrow towards the end.
Finish: medium, with pepper, green grape and a hint of ginger.
This is a very bright and accessible blended malt. It has plenty of fruity notes at its core, but I guess the Glen Scotia adds a few (slightly) rebellious elements too. Overall a nice summer pour at a friendly price. Available from The Whisky Exchange or Master of Malt and plenty of other retailers.