Finlaggan Eilean Mor Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%

Eilean Mòr means the big island in Gaelic, and it is precisely that islet in Loch Finlaggan where the Lords of the Isles had their seat. The whisky is the more considered of the Finlaggan bottles, still peated but with the reins on.

The expert description

Finlaggan Eilean Mor is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% in small batch.

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company of Glasgow stands behind the whole Finlaggan range, and the malt comes from an Islay distillery that is not named. Eilean Mor sits a level above the basic releases: the strength is raised to 46% and bottling happens in smaller runs rather than continuously.

Those extra points do more than the number suggests. The smoke gains carrying power, the texture turns fuller, and the light oiliness that marks Islay malt comes through more clearly than in the standard releases at 40%. The whisky is bottled without chill filtration and without colouring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet peat smoke with medicinal notes and a touch of sea salt.

Palate

Full bodied with spicy peat smoke, tar and iodine, a light oiliness and a sweet malt sitting underneath it all.

Finish

The smoke falls back to embers. Long and slightly drying.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Eilean Mor
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Eilean Mor Small Batch
EAN no.: 5024720311005

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peaty · Maritime · Sweet · Medicinal

Did you know?

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company owns several brands that all stand for unnamed distilleries, Finlaggan from Islay among them and Tantallan from the Highlands alongside it. The model gives them access to casks they could never otherwise buy, in exchange for keeping quiet about where they came from.

See our full range of Finlaggan

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently asked questions about Finlaggan Eilean Mor

What does Eilean Mor mean?

The big island in Gaelic. The name refers to the islet in Loch Finlaggan on Islay where the Lords of the Isles had their seat in the Middle Ages.

What does it taste like?

Sweet peat smoke with medicinal notes and sea salt on the nose, spicy smoke with tar and iodine on the palate, and a long finish where the smoke falls back to embers. There is a light oiliness throughout.

How does Eilean Mor differ from the other Finlaggan releases?

Strength and bottling. Eilean Mor sits at 46% and is bottled in smaller runs, where Original and Old Reserve sit at 40%. That gives more body and a smoke with better carrying power.

Which distillery is behind it?

That is not disclosed. The malt comes from an Islay distillery that does not want its name on the label, and the whole Finlaggan range is built on that arrangement.

How peated is it?

Solidly peated but not extreme. The medicinal and tarry character is clear, while the sweetness of the malt keeps it from turning brutal. See our full range of Islay Whisky.

What does small batch mean?

That the whisky is bottled in smaller runs at a time rather than in continuous production. That gives less variation within a single bottling, but also small differences from run to run.

Should you add water?

Not necessarily. At 46% it is already balanced, but a few drops bring the sea salt forward and soften the tar. Use a glass that gathers the smoke. See our whisky glasses.