Finlaggan Old Reserve Islay Single Malt Whisky 40% 70cl

Description

Finlaggan Old Reserve Islay Single Malt Whisky is a secret malt whisky. Scotch Whisky distilleries often sell some of their whisky to a third party who then ages and bottles the whisky themselves. Usually, you will find the distillery name, as well as the bottler’s name, on the label. In this case, they tend to be known as third-party bottlings. Sometimes the distilleries can be a little shy!

The Vintage Malt Whisky Co.

This Islay single malt whisky is bottled by The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. (VMWC), who also bottle another secret Islay malt whisky called The Ileach as well as the Cooper’s Choice range of single barrel bottlings. They consider Finlaggan their flagship brand.

The VWMC was founded by Brian Crook in 1992, formally an export Director for one of Scotland’s best-known distillers, and is now regarded as one of Scotland’s leading independent bottlers.

Finlaggan Old Reserve Islay Single Malt Whisky

Finlaggan Old Reserve is a quintessential Islay whisky, delivering the region’s hallmark peat smoke, maritime saltiness and earthy depth. It is a no-age-statement (NAS) whisky, but it is likely young (6-10 years), matured in a mix of 50% ex-bourbon first-fill casks, 45% refill ex-bourbon casks, and 5% ex-sherry casks. Its youthfulness contributes to a bold, straightforward peat profile, making it a great introduction to Islay malts for beginners or a budget-friendly option for peat enthusiasts (“peatheads”). A shockingly good dram for the price. Bottled at 46% ABV.

Which Distillery Is It From?

There is plenty of discussion on whisky forums about the origin of the single malt whisky that goes into the Finlaggan, and I have seen people who think it is Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Ledaig or even Ardbeg. Suffice it to say, no one knows for sure, but I am sure one of these must be right!

Named After Loch Finlaggan

Finlaggan Old Reserve Islay Single Malt Whisky is named after Finlaggan, a historic site on Islay. On Islay lies Loch Finlaggan, a place of great importance in Scottish history. In the Loch, there are three islands, two of which are Eilean Mor (large island) and Eileen na Comhairle (council isle), where the installation of the Macdonald Lords of the Isles took place. Many centuries ago, the Lord of the Isles ruled Scotland from the stronghold of Finlaggan Castle on Islay, which is situated 2 km to the northwest of Ballygrant.

There is also a Finlaggan Cask Strength bottling.