Whisky fans - Lidl do it again (1 Viewer)

TheWM

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*lifted of off another forum but I know there are a few whisky fans here :)

To be honest after their 40 year old a few years back, their whisky offering hasn't really been up there. But, without much fanfare, I was looking for some tools and came across their spirits (released today). How did I miss this????

34 Year Sherry Cask Finish Blended Scotch Whisky - £49.99 10,000
25 Year Sherry Cask Finish Blended Scotch Whisky - £34.99 24,000 bottles
22 Year Sherry Cask Finish Blended Scotch Whisky - £29.99 24,000 bottles
28 Year Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky - £49.99 6,000 bottles
22 Year Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky - £44.99 6,000 bottles

http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/10980.htm?id=24&ar=1

The blends are rumoured to be by Richard Paterson master blender of White & Mackay and Dalmore and I've even managed to find some tasting notes, which by the sounds of it seem excellent!

https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/tastings/new-whiskies/batch-16-lidl-limited-releases/

When you consider a 28 year old speyside from Singleton at 4,000 bottles goes for £250 - this has to be worth a punt.

If I was married, I would be divorced, now I'm off to Lidl, I suggest you do too!!!
 

MattR

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Looking forward to hearing your verdict.
 

Gellyneck

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More than toes wet now!
The blends are rumoured to be by Richard Paterson master blender of White & Mackay and Dalmore and I've even managed to find some tasting notes, which by the sounds of it seem excellent!

OK so it's purely coincidental, blends by Whyte & MacKay and your forum name is TheWM.:whistle::whistle:;):giggle:
As you'll know age isn't everything in whisky it's the quality of the constituent malts and grains but the pricing does look enticing.

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TheWM

TheWM

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OK so it's purely coincidental, blends by Whyte & MacKay and your forum name is TheWM.:whistle::whistle:;):giggle:
As you'll know age isn't everything in whisky it's the quality of the constituent malts and grains but the pricing does look enticing.

LOL. Purely coincidental...

There are some tasting notes above in one of the links by a well respected website.

I agree with the blends, you don't know the mix; however, that is the same with any blend - but we do know the age. In a time where lots of producers are rebranding their core range with No Ages Statements (NAS), it is refreshing to see these all having good age to them. Although I have taken delivery of a 9 year old grain whisky recently that has stunned quite a few people and has sold out in most places almost immediately (Clan Denny Strathclyde 2005), so grains are turning a corner...

Of course, the single malts are different and are not blended. Some have suggested that the 22 year old Islay is by Laphroaig, which if true is an incredible offering - you're looking at big bucks for this.

As an aside, I picked up one of each earlier today. As luck would have it, I'm driving until 9(ish) so no sneak previews for me :(
 
Feb 8, 2014
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Think I'll just stick to Jamesons, just glad I'm not a connissewer:rolleyes: although I'd love to just be able to buy pure malts ...so smooth:love:

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Just bought the Speyside and topped up my stock of Abrachan. Thanks for the review links, I've always liked the Abrachan but did wonder if the packaging and price was swaying my opinion nice to have the expert confirm that it is good value and a nice whisky.(y)

Baileys dropped into Guinness think it's called an Irish Car Bomb (y)(y)
 
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TheWM

TheWM

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I get the 12 year old blended malt @ £20 its not bad..

http://malt-review.com/2015/11/02/3-lidl-whiskies/

Just bought the Speyside and topped up my stock of Abrachan. Thanks for the review links, I've always liked the Abrachan but did wonder if the packaging and price was swaying my opinion nice to have the expert confirm that it is good value and a nice whisky.(y)

Baileys dropped into Guinness think it's called an Irish Car Bomb (y)(y)

Yes. The Ben Bracken isn't bad but the Abrachan is very good for the price.

The Ben Bracken (original 12) is from the Tamnavulin distillery, very nice it is too. However, Lidl have carried on the name Ben Bracken for this round of single malt whiskies, which does confuse things slightly, especially as there is an Islay and Speyside version.

I've always liked the Abrachan, triple wood aged. However - I have seen the price go from £14.99 to £19.99, which puts it dangerously close to Johnny Walker Black, Ballantines and a host of other blends that compete in that category, which if I'm being honest I prefer, especially the JW.

Think I'll just stick to Jamesons, just glad I'm not a connissewer:rolleyes: although I'd love to just be able to buy pure malts ...so smooth:love:

I love a Jamesons, try and get a small batch reserve version as they are ACE! I love an Irish whisky, in fact I have a Wild Geese fourth centennial bottle waiting for me currently which I'm itching to open.

The 28 year old speyside interests me :D

Anything 28 year old interests me.... ;):whistle:

But seriously, get a bottle. I have NO idea what it tastes like, so apologies if it's naff. However, given that Lidl and Aldi want to be major players in the premium spirits market, they will not want to put off any new buyers and serve them crap. Check these offerings out which now have a bit of a cult following and excellent reviews (both Aldi & Lidl)

https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/glenbridge-40-year-old-aldi-whisky/

http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/3410.htm

By the way - I hear that already some shelves are looking a bit empty - I hope there's more on the way as I haven't even had the chance to taste any and decide which one I need to buy more of!
 

GJH

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The Ben Bracken (original 12) is from the Tamnavulin distillery, very nice it is too. However, Lidl have carried on the name Ben Bracken for this round of single malt whiskies, which does confuse things slightly, especially as there is an Islay and Speyside version.

I've always liked the Abrachan, triple wood aged. However - I have seen the price go from £14.99 to £19.99, which puts it dangerously close to Johnny Walker Black, Ballantines and a host of other blends that compete in that category, which if I'm being honest I prefer, especially the JW.
I'm not a great connoisseur of whisky (certainly not enough to pay over 30 quid a bottle :)) but I do prefer a single malt or pure/blended malt to a blend that includes grain whiskies.
Lidl also do a cheaper pure malt called Glen Orchy which isn't bad either, though not as smooth as Arbrachan :)

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TheWM

TheWM

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I'm not a great connoisseur of whisky (certainly not enough to pay over 30 quid a bottle :)) but I do prefer a single malt or pure/blended malt to a blend that includes grain whiskies.
Lidl also do a cheaper pure malt called Glen Orchy which isn't bad either, though not as smooth as Arbrachan :)

Glen Orchy is very good and rated highly by Jim Murray (who writes the 'whisky bible')
 
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Seven of nine

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Have a thought for me , my brother is the head still man at Laphroig distillery and I don't like whiskey .
 
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TheWM

TheWM

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Have a thought for me , my brother is the head still man at Laphroig distillery and I don't like whiskey .

Wow. Can I have first dibs on any specials that he may want to pass you. Will swap for children. Hell my missus may be up for grabs too.

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vwalan

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lidl in spain you can buy the queen margot blended whiskey for as little as 5.65 euro a bottle . yes its not the best but is ok. for the money. and its scottish.
 

Judge Mental

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I'm not a great connoisseur of whisky (certainly not enough to pay over 30 quid a bottle :)) but I do prefer a single malt or pure/blended malt to a blend that includes grain whiskies.
Lidl also do a cheaper pure malt called Glen Orchy which isn't bad either, though not as smooth as Arbrachan :)

5 year old...having a few now:)
 
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ianandkath

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have to wait till tomorrow before sampling , as work calls early doors

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Feb 8, 2014
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Think I'll just stick to Jamesons, just glad I'm not a connissewer:rolleyes: although I'd love to just be able to buy pure malts ...so smooth:love:
Click to expand...
I love a Jamesons, try and get a small batch reserve version as they are ACE! I love an Irish whisky, in fact I have a Wild Geese fourth centennial bottle waiting for me currently which I'm itching to open.


cheers John, will look for.
 
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TheWM

TheWM

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OK - cracked open the cheapest the 22 year blended - £29.99. First impressions (and I don't normally do write ups, so forgive me):

Nose: Salted caramel, stewed figs/raisins/plums (can't quite pick it out), pears and some grassiness, faint notes of honey fading to citrus. Enticing and wants me to dig in further.

Palate: Smooth and an immediate sweetness which quickly leaves, turning to dark chocolate with woody tones, more citrus, getting quite a lot of oakiness. Some more plums.

Finish: A real pleasant numbness dead middle of the tongue that lingers, spicy like you've just had a chilli, dry saltiness comes back and a further hint of toffee and espresso.

This has actually surprised me as the 'bottom of the range'. There is a lot going on here at different times. The actual roundness of the whisky is something I have only experienced with older or matured whisky from warmer climates. I was expecting for the price to be a take it or leave it, but I would say it has elements of a Paul John brilliance (which comes from India), in fact going over some of my brief notes, it shares a lot of characteristics (citrus/woody/saltiness/caramel/spice).

Now here comes the real interesting part. My missus smelt it and straight away remarked - 'are you sure that's not rum'? Paul John is whiskey made from molasses, as rum is - make of that what you will but a big thumbs up to this.

Sorry this probably won't interest anyone, but I'm now really tempted to move 'up' to the 25 year old and see what joys that brings.
 
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TheWM

TheWM

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So, cracked open the 25 year old blended. £34.99

The first thing that I have noticed is the deeper, richer colour. Almost mahogany, compared to the amber 22. Interesting.

Nose: Some of the salted caramel notes, but nowhere near the amount of the 22, perhaps more fudge meets bubblegum. Definite sherried wood coming into the mix.

Palate: Slightly oily. Marzipan and liquorish. Some blended fruit notes, but very hard to distinguish what they are. More black forest than apples/pears, but a definite mix nevertheless. Sweetness and that sherried wood again giving some sea air dryness (think Old Pultney).

Finish: Spiciness has been dialled down, but lurks around in the background. Slight menthol (eucalyptus?) in a combo with blood orange. It is a pleasant finish, lingers, but doesn't give as much as the 22, in terms of bringing back some of the earlier notes, although that said, I've picked up some pear drops right at the very end with a further nod to some nutty dark chocolate.

This seems 'too complete', and I'm not sure if that is a good or bad thing. The flavours don't jump around and I suppose you could say this is fairly one dimensional, with a clear start to finish. But I guess, that perhaps is perfect blending. I'm picking up hints of notes here and there, but silky smoooooooooth. Seriously, this is a notch above the 22 no questions in terms of an all rounder. Very quaffable and whilst I wouldn't say that I can pick up the age of this, again - I think that the blender has done a great job in making this an easy going dram to reach for any time or day and be completely inoffensive to anyone.

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