Finlaggan Cask Strength

This Finlaggan has a cask strength of no less than 58%, so buckle up. It is named after the old Finlaggan Castle on Islay, from which the Lords of the Isles and Clan MacDonald ruled the area. Today, it is nothing but a ruin. The whisky, however, is still very much alive. Even though it is a NAS bottling, I am told the contents is a 6 Year Old (most likely Lagavulin).

Ouch! It is off to a very weird start on cow pat and dried grasses, warm asphalt and soot. Lighter fuel. The fruit struggles to get past it. What succeeds is dark. Think plums and a kriek. Then some caramelized apples and something of walnuts with finally some lemon. It opens up, luckily (for the first whiff on cow manure was quite a scare). Oh, lest I forget: a truckload of peat and salt.

Wow, it is a whole lot sweeter on the palate. The fruit arrives first (apple, lime), inundated with a strong mix of herbs, before the peat and mostly the silt attack without remorse. Midpalate it turn quite earthy, if you know what I mean.

The long finish on liquorice and salt fades very, very slowly.

Well, this was quite the adventure. Might as well (and maybe it is) be a single cask Lagavulin, but at a dumping price. Recommended! There is also a Finlaggan The Original Peaty, a Finlaggan Old Reserve, a Finlaggan 6 Year Old and a Finlaggan 10 Year Old.

Find where to buy Finlaggan whisky