Forming a vertical FinFET includes forming a semiconductor fin on a substrate and having a fin mask on an upper surface thereof; laterally recessing the semiconductor fin causing the fin mask; forming a conformal gate liner on the recessed semiconductor fin and the fin mask, wherein the conformal gate liner includes a first portion surrounding the fin mask and a second portion surrounding the recessed fins and being separated from the fin mask by a thickness of the conformal gate liner; forming a gate mask laterally adjacent to the second portion of the conformal gate liner; removing the first portion of the conformal gate liner; removing the gate mask to expose a remaining second portion of the conformal gate liner; and forming a gate contact to the second portion of the conformal gate liner, the remaining second portion of the conformal gate liner defines the gate length.