Finlaggan Original Single Islay Malt Whisky 40%

There is Islay whisky you have to work up to. This is not one of them. Original is the way into the range and into the island, peat, salt and malt in the most direct form it can be done.

The expert description

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

The malt comes from an undisclosed Islay distillery and The Vintage Malt Whisky Company of Glasgow handles the bottling. It is a model where the distillery sells casks on without wanting its name on the label, and in return you get an island malt on a far more straightforward shelf than the official releases occupy.

The bourbon wood provides the bright frame and 40% keeps it light. This is not a whisky trying to impress. It is trying to be a good Islay dram, and it succeeds.

Tasting notes

Nose

Peat smoke first, then malt and a pale sweetness, with a seaweed and salt note that recalls a coastline a couple of hundred metres away.

Palate

Direct and malty. The smoke carries while caramel and apple sit beneath, and a lightly peppered edge rises towards the close.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and smoky with a final scatter of salt.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Original
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: Original
EAN no.: 5024720350004

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Maritime · Peaty · Soft

Did you know?

The peat on Islay is not like mainland peat. The island bogs formed close to the sea out of moss, heather and seaweed, and that is why Islay smoke carries the salted, almost iodine-like note a Highland peat never gives.

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Frequently asked questions about Finlaggan Original

What does Finlaggan Original taste like?

Peat smoke in front with malt and pale sweetness beneath, a salted seaweed note from the coast, and a dry smoky finish. It is direct rather than complex, and that is the intention.

Which distillery is behind it?

That is not disclosed. The casks come from an Islay distillery that sells on without wanting to be named, and The Vintage Malt Whisky Company bottles them under the Finlaggan name.

What is the difference between Original and Old Reserve?

Very little. Both are bourbon matured and bottled at 40%, but Old Reserve is a shade more mature and rounded. Original stands fresher and more direct in the smoke.

Why does Islay whisky taste of salt and iodine?

Because the peat on the island formed close to the sea out of moss, heather and seaweed. When it is burned to dry the barley, those maritime notes travel all the way into the whisky.

Is it too heavy for a beginner?

No. It is among the mildest ways into peated whisky you can find, and 40% makes it easy to handle. See our full range of Islay Whisky.

Can it be used in cocktails?

Yes, where the smoke is meant to play a part. It works in a Penicillin and as a single float on top of a drink where you want smoke without spending a dearer bottle on it.

Which glass is recommended?

A tulip-shaped glass gathers the smoke, where a wide tumbler lets it evaporate. See our range of whisky glasses.