Finlaggan Old Reserve Single Islay Malt Whisky 40%

Old Reserve is the Finlaggan you reach for without making an occasion of it. Peated enough to be Islay, mild enough to drink on an ordinary Wednesday.

The expert description

Finlaggan Old Reserve is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company buys the casks from an Islay distillery that does not want its name on the label and bottles them under the Finlaggan name. Old Reserve is the slightly more mature of the two entry releases, and the bourbon wood is chosen because it lays vanilla and pale sweetness beneath the smoke rather than fighting it.

At 40% this is the softest end of the range. That makes it a sensible way to meet Islay for the first time, and a bottle you can keep on the shelf without having to be in the mood for it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft peat smoke and vanilla, with a lightly salted edge and a note of dried citrus peel behind.

Palate

Round and malty with the smoke as a frame. Caramel and pale fruit in the middle, and a light ashy dryness that keeps the sweetness in check.

Finish

Medium and clean with smoke, malt and a final touch of pepper.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Old Reserve
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask
Edition: Old Reserve
EAN no.: 5024720900001

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Soft · Vanilla · Maritime

Did you know?

On the smallest of the islands in Loch Finlaggan, Eilean na Comhairle, stood the Council Isle. The fourteen councillors who governed the Lordship of the Isles met here, and decisions taken on that small islet applied from the Hebrides to Ulster.

See our full range of Finlaggan

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently asked questions about Finlaggan Old Reserve

How peated is Old Reserve?

Moderately. The smoke is clear but soft, without the sharp medicinal edge found in the heaviest Islay malts. At 40% it is easy to approach all the way through.

What is the difference between Old Reserve and Original?

Both sit at 40% in bourbon casks, but Old Reserve is the slightly more mature and rounded of the two. The difference is nuance rather than two different whiskies.

Which distillery does it come from?

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

Is it a good place to start with Islay?

Yes. It gives you the peat smoke without overwhelming, and 40% asks for neither water nor practice. To go further, we carry a large range of Islay Whisky.

What does the bourbon cask do to the flavour?

It contributes vanilla, coconut-like sweetness and pale fruit that settle underneath the smoke. A sherry cask would instead have laid dark fruit over the top and made the profile heavier.

How is it best drunk?

Neat and at room temperature. At 40% it has no need for water, and ice shuts down the finer malt notes beneath the smoke. A tulip-shaped glass helps. See our whisky glasses.

What does the name Finlaggan mean?

It is the name of a loch and a pair of islands on northern Islay where Clan Donald had their seat. The place is regarded as the cradle of the clan, and the whole range is named after it.