The state-owned alcohol monopoly Alko (later Primalco, now Altia) was the first whisky producer in Finland. The production took place in Ilmajoki (Western Finland) at the Koskenkorva distillery between 1981 and 2000. The whisky was simply named Alko Whisky and was the best selling whisky in Finland until the company discontinued all of its whisky production in 2000.

However this was not the end of whisky production in Finland. Only one year later the first private own whisky distillery was opened. Nowadays there are two operational distilleries in Finland but more are already planned.