Innis and Gunn "whisky beer"

It is actually pretty decent, and fairly strong, stuff, with nice toffee and vanilla notes. The Rum Cask is really, really good, but as I said above, it is all fairly good...I've yet to have one that I was disappointed in...and I've yet to actually try the Grant's Ale Cask Reserve Whisky that is subsequently aged in the barrels used to age the beer.

The Ola Dubh Stout - aged in barrels which previously held Highland Park (of varying ages) - is also good, with a thick, bacony nose, but it is really dark, and may not be to some people's liking.

@Rantavahti Innis & Gunn is great stuff. We are currently out of the Rum Cask here in my neck of the woods. @YakLord is correct it's all good stuff, give it a try. My notes are not as good as his but that's the best thing about this site is the sharing. Hope this was helpful. :)

I'm not a fan and can't stand the Rum cask version - it's all a bit to sweet and vanilla-y for me, but as they're the notes that everyone else seems to like in them, I suspect I'm in the minority :) I did really like the Canadian Cask limited editions I've tried, as they back off on the sweetness a bit, but they're not easy to find.

The Innis & Gunn regular beer isn't a whisky beer - the beer was invented when they emptied out fresh casks that were being seasoned with ale to make Grant's Ale Cask. The brewers tried the beer and realised it was a waste to throw it away, so instead bottled it, making a product that's even more popular than the whisky that it was originally created to make...

I think BrewDog beers are available up in Finland, and their Paradox series is all matured in ex-whisky casks. They've just releases a Paradox Grain and have done Arran, Jura and Smokehead amongst others in the past.

Along with Ola Dubh, Orkney Dark Island Special Reserve is also matured in Highland Park casks. It's maybe my favourite beer of all time - thick, dark, sweet and quite powerful. It's definitely one to share a bottle of rather than keep to yourself.

The Original Innis&Gunn beer is ok but like @cowfish I many of the other releases to sweet. I've never actually seen any Grant's Cask Ale in stores to be able to see if it was worthwhile for making whiskey.

Thank you everyone for your input, I have to make a visit to Alko (Finland's liquor shop) tomorrow and do some shopping.

Haven't had the Innis and Gunn whisky beers, but I have more then a few imperial stouts from different breweries aged in whisky barrels. De Struise Cuvee Delphine is aged in Four Roses bourbon barrels and their Black Damnation 3 is aged in Caol Ila barrels and both are LOVELY.

Mikkeller's Black Buffalo is aged in Buffalo Trace whisky barrels and is very big, 18% or so and is very nice as is Brewdogs Paradox Jura. However for all of these beers you've got to enjoy imperial stouts. But they're all so delicious!

There's also a Belgian brewery, "De dochter van de korenaar", which makes a whisk(e)y barrel aged beer called "Embrasse Oak Aged". I know of one aged in casks that previously held Connemara and I got one bottle which aged in Ardbeg barrels.

Don't know if it's even drinkable though.

I have quite enjoyed most of what I have been able to try of their line...in order of preference:

• Highland Whisky Cask (the greatest variety of flavours with the best balance)
• Original/Irish Whiskey Cask
• Canada Day Special Edition (2011 & 2012)
• Winter Treacle Porter

The Blonde (not a fan of 'blonde' beers usually) and the Rum Cask (too damn sweet, I'm with 'cowfish' on this one) are the only ones that I will pass on buying again. I have yet to try the Spiced Rum, though have been told that it is noticeably less sweet than the standard Rum Cask, so I will have to get a bottle at some point.