tasting
Finish
No legal definition
The persistence and evolution of flavour after the whisky is swallowed — its length, and whether it develops, holds or collapses.
Not a legal term
No whisky regulation in Scotland, Ireland, the United States, the EU or Japan defines this. It is a trade or marketing term, so it is only actionable if its use is actively misleading.
Often confused with finishing (cask)
The finish is what happens in your mouth after swallowing; finishing is what happened to the whisky in a secondary cask before bottling.
Worth knowing
Length tracks with heavier, less volatile congeners — fatty acids, phenols, wood extractives — so it is influenced by cut points and cask history more than by strength. Tannic dryness from over-oaking is often mistaken for length.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms