The Top 4 Finnish Whiskies: A Whisky Nation to Watch

Finland is a nation of people who love their whisky bold and smoky. Finns aren’t just whisky drinkers, they make their own, too. While Finland doesn’t produce as many whiskies as neighbors like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, don’t underestimate it.

The four Finnish distilleries below craft whisky of the highest quality, and three of them are easy trips from Helsinki. Curious? These are the 4 distilleries putting Finnish whisky on the map.

If you’re into single malt, look no further than Teerenpeli. This distillery’s range includes whiskies matured in sherry and port casks. Portti is a lighter whisky finished for 18 months in port casks. Kaski and Kulo are 100% sherry-cask matured. Kaski is a lighter, no-age-statement single malt, while Kulo is seven years old with a gentle peat influence. Teerenpeli describes its house style as “typically spicy.” These sherry-matured whiskies also carry sweet notes of grape and fruitcake.

If peat is your thing, Teerenpeli has you covered. Palo and Savu are both smoky expressions. Savu leans lighter with vanilla tones from ex-bourbon casks, while Palo matures in PX and Oloroso sherry casks. Alongside various limited editions, Teerenpeli now also offers 10-year-old and 14-year-old whiskies.

From the core range, KASKI, Kulo, Savu, and the 10 Year Old are available directly in the Netherlands. The name ‘Teerenpeli’ refers to the Black Grouse’s mating dance, a bird native to the region. You’ll find the distillery in the city of Lahti, just an hour by train from Helsinki.

At this distillery, it’s all about rye. Founded in 2014, Kyrö was born from a sauna-side idea among friends. They loved American rye whisky, and Finland is rich in rye—so why not make a Finnish rye of their own?

Every Kyrö whisky uses malted Finnish rye. The whiskies are spicy and full-bodied, without the syrupy sweetness often found in American rye. You can taste Nordic pine forests and even a whisper of maritime character.

As of 2024, the whisky comes in four expressions: Rye Malt, Wood Smoke, Peat Smoke, and Oloroso. The first two were already fan favorites; Peat Smoke and Oloroso are new. Finns often heat their saunas with alder wood, and you can taste that alder smoke in Wood Smoke.

Peat Smoke tastes different not only because wood smoke and peat smoke are distinct, but also because it uses Finnish freshwater peat. That gives it a lighter, softer profile than many peated Scotch whiskies, though it’s not as intense as Wood Smoke.

The Finnish distillery also makes gins with Irish and Japanese influences. Kyrö is housed in the former Isokyrö Dairy, so you can also pick up a whisky cream liqueur: Kyrö Dairy Cream Liqueur.

The Finnish capital has its own distillery: Helsinki Distilling Company, founded in 2014. Their lineup resembles Kyrö’s in that rye whisky takes the lead. But HDC also produces a single malt and Finland’s only corn whisky. The Finnish commitment to local grains is alive and well in Helsinki.

While Helsinki Distilling Company doesn’t offer as many expressions as Teerenpeli or Kyrö, it’s more experimental. They’re exploring maturation in Finnish oak, for example. It’s also the most accessible distillery in Finland, just a few hundred meters from a metro or tram stop in the capital.

From the easiest to reach to the most remote distillery in Finland: welcome to Valamo. Deep in the Finnish forest lies a monastery where whisky is made. This monastic distillery promises “heavenly spirits” from one of the country’s most secluded whisky makers.

Ever tried whisky from a monastery? Monks and alcohol have long gone hand in hand. Think French wines and Belgian beers. At Valamo you can taste a 3-year-old peated single malt at cask strength, 58.5%. The distillery offers more besides, including black tea gin, absinthe, and Arctic wines.

That’s our overview of the four distilleries shaping Finnish whisky. Have you sampled the nectar of the gods from Finland? Tell us in the comments.