Finlaggan Old Reserve

This is a bit of a stealth whisky and hard to find. I have never seen it on the East Coast of the United States and the only place one seems to be able to buy it elsewhere is at the Trader Joes grocery store chain in California where it goes for around $US 20. It is rumored to be made by an Islay distillery and then bottled by Finlaggan. I don't have enough experience with Islay malts to tell which distillery might make it.

The finish fades rather quickly with some lingering smoke and leaves the mouth a bit tingly. It is not very well balanced or complex and is rather harsh. I found that the longer I leave it out, it develops a very subtle sweetness which complements the strong smoke flavour.

I have tried a few other Islay whiskies which were quite a bit better than this but cost quite a bit more. I much prefer this to the McClellands Islay which costs about the same. I would recommend this overall, especially to someone wanting to experiment with Islays on a budget. Still, one should realize it has its limitations and bottlings may vary greatly since it might be made by a different distillery

Find where to buy Finlaggan whisky