Kolme Leijonaa Blended Scotch Whisky review

I’ve categorized this under Finland but this is not a Finnish whisky. Even though legendary in Finnish retail market because of its long history and Finnish name. Kolme Leijonaa means Three Lions in English. Lion is the animal in Finland’s escutcheon.

Officially this brand came to Finnish retail market in 1933 but the name has had different lion themed variations throughout its history. Starting with Kolmen Leijonan (meaning Three Lions’) Whisky. There’s also been One Lion’s and Two or Four Lions’ whiskies.

Those were all brands under Alko/Altia (Finnish liquor shop/producer) ownership. So what they’ve done in Finland, before arrivals of whisky makers such as Beer Hunter’s brewery or Teerenpeli whisky distillery, they’ve imported spirits or blended whisky from Scotland for maturation or bottling in Finland under different brands. In the 1930’s, Three Lions blended whisky label said “Very Finest Old Highland Whisky”. So back then it came from Highland region.

These are brands bottled or even blended or matured in Finland, with imported Scotch whisky or spirit in them:

• 1932-1941 Viski-Viina
• 1933, 1941-> Kolmen Leijonan Whisky
• 1933-1941 Yhden Leijonan Whisky
• 1933-1941 Kahden Leijonan Whisky
• 1933, 1955-1997 Neljän Leijonan Whisky
• 1969-1990 Lion Blend
• 1981-1994 Alko Whisky
• 1983-2000 Viski 88 (Double Eight 88 since 1994)
• 1991-2000 10-vuotias viski (10 year old whisky)

Brands bottled in Finland containing whisky recipe and maturation outside Finland:

• 1992-1997 Lord Calvert
• 1993-1997 Seven Crown
• 1995-2000 Black Velvet
• 2000-2007 Double Eight 88
• 2003-2008 Kolme Leijonaa Malt Whisky

Information above gotten from the Finnish whisky book “Viskien Maailma” by Jarkko Nikkanen.

Recent packaging face lift gave Kolme Leijonaa a plastic bottle

Tasting Notes

Kolme Leijonaa Scoring