Finlaggan Old Reserve Islay Single Malt

To try

Reminds me of a party on the beach; sea salt and campfire. The peat and salt come on quick and a bit of barrel notes fight their way through to the forefront. The burn is medium-light, but the flavors, primarily smoked salmon, stick around.

Can’t beat the price. Smoke is very apparent but not overwhelming. Smells like burnt bacon. Nice vanilla sweetness to match. One dimensional. I love using a 1/4 oz of this in a whiskey sour.

A nice bottle with a nice price tag. The nose is quite welcoming, although very smokey, with hints of sweet fruits. The taste is all peat and smoke for me, which is a bit underwhelming given the nose. Add a drop of water and there's only peat left. All in all a fine Islay for the price.