Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst Whisky

During my visit to the Loch Lomond distillery in August, I had the opportunity to taste a variety of exceptional drams. One of the ranges I was particularly eager to try was the relatively new Noble Rebel blended malt Scotch whisky line, released by Loch Lomond in 2023. This range includes three expressions: Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst, Hazelnut Harmony, and Smoke Symphony whisky.

I had seen the Noble Rebel range on social media and was immediately drawn to its distinctive labelling. Unfortunately, it’s not available in South Africa (yet), so I was thrilled to sample it during my distillery visit.

The first release I explored was the Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst whisky. Its label features a white background, black text, and a vibrant collage of fruits and flowers in an orange frame. This orange frame is consistent across all three releases, giving the collection a cohesive look.

Noble Rebel Whisky is a blend of Scotch whiskies crafted by Master Blender Michael Henry. According to Loch Lomond, “Noble Rebel is a mix of skilled distillation, careful maturation, and artful blending. It brings together the old and new worlds of whisky.” The brand’s philosophy is to offer bold flavours that appeal to adventurous drinkers who enjoy new experiences.

The base of the Noble Rebel range is a blend of unpeated malt from various sources, including Loch Lomond’s straight neck high collection stills (aged about 7 years), Glen Scotia (aged around 5 years), and malt from reciprocal sources (around 5 years old).

It also includes malt from Loch Lomond’s straight neck low collection stills (aged about 5 years). All the malts used in this blend were aged in carefully selected ex-bourbon casks, with some malt even fermented using Chardonnay wine yeast.

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Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst Whisky Review

Each expression in the Noble Rebel line has its own distinct profile. Orchard Outburst focuses on zesty lemon and lime, crisp orchard fruits, and subtle hints of salty ocean air. The range is non-chill filtered and boasts natural color. It is a NAS (no age statement) release.

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Pale lemon yellow

NOSE: Bright and bold with tart notes of green Bramley apple and pear. There’s a pleasant sweetness from creamy vanilla, balanced with cereal and cinnamon. Hints of freshly cut hay blend with a touch of lemon.

PALATE: The fruity notes continue on the palate, with tart green apples and overripe apricots. The sweetness from the nose transitions into honey, balanced with vanilla, creamy malt, and a touch of cinnamon. It has an apple crumble-like quality. Faint cloves and pepper add complexity, with a more pronounced bite when water is added. There is a bit of alcohol heat that needs a few drops of water to cool down, making it smooth and easy to drink.

FINISH: A medium-length finish with lingering fruity sweetness, pepper, and lemon notes.

RATING: VERY GOOD

I was reminded of this whisky while visiting friends in the UK who have a Bramley apple tree in their garden. After using some of their apples to bake an apple crumble, I noticed the tart apple notes were strikingly similar to those found in the Orchard Outburst whisky.

Orchard Outburst is a memorable and smooth blend, an excellent introduction to blended malt whisky. While I thoroughly enjoyed all three releases, this one ranked third for me. I’ll be sharing my tasting notes on Hazelnut Harmony and Smoke Symphony whisky soon.

The Noble Rebel range is priced at around £38 (I saw some on Amazon), offering good value for a well-crafted blended malt.

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