Ben Bracken 28 Year Old 1989 Speyside Single Malt

A few years ago, this 28 years old Speyside malt could be found on the shelves of the German supermarket Lidl. The provenance is kept secret. Bottled by Wallace & Young Distillers, the company that also releases that other supermarket whisk Queen Margot. Oh, my, what a delicious nose! Overripe and tropical fruit, bergamot oil, acacia honey, hazelnuts, a bouquet of wild flowers, candle wax, cinnamon and liquorice. The whole is wrapped in beautiful notes of charred wood. A tad old school and simply grand. Good body. Nicely oily and waxy. The fact that it is bottled at 46% is a plus. Lots of honey and sugar up front, followed by yellow fruit and nuts. Then the spices kick in. Salt and pepper (surprisingly salty for a moment in fact). Lots of earthy notes too. And a bitterness as if from grapefruit. Good balance. This is actually quite complex! In the satisfyingly long finish I get more nuts. Both hazelnuts and almonds. The spices prickle nicely and keep your mouth warm without drying it. What a pleasant surprise! It is amazing that you can buy a whisky 28 years of age for only 70 EUR, don’t you think? Makes you wonder about the official releases, I suppose. Thanks, Gunther.