GERMAN SUPERMARKET GIANT LIDL'S AGED SCOTCH WHISKIES

 EXCELLENT WHISKIES AT MOUTHWATERING PRICES

Lidl Catching Up With Aldi

In December 2019, I had written about the quick progress being made by German Supermarket Giants Aldi and Lidl in producing their own made to order Scotch whiskies at unbelievably low prices and how their popularity was growing exponentially in the European Market. 

Lidl is based out of Neckarsulm, Germany and first came to the United Kingdom in 1994. Since then, they have grown to 760 stores in locations across the country and have now reached across the pond with an estimated 300 stores in operation in the United States.

British shoppers have voted German discounter Aldi as the best grocers to go for those venturing out and Aldi received a stellar five-star rating for value for money, buttressed by their expanding sales of made to order Scotch whiskies.

Lidl has long offered affordable whisky in their spirits section. They have a Glenalba brand (much older) and Abrachan for blended malts. The current range is bottled by ‘Clydesdale Whisky Co’ in Glasgow, not to be confused with the other Clydesdale independent bottler and supposedly related to Whyte & MacKay according to some sources. I'll examine and review the Glenalba Range first.

Brought out in 2015, the Glenalba range includes a 22 Year Old, a 25 Year Old and a 34 Year Old that received an incredible 95.5 out of 100 points in Jim Murray’s 2017 Whisky Bible.

What makes Lidl’s Scotch different however, is the fact that it’s actually pretty damn impressive. The company have already won two Gold awards and six Silver awards in the Scotch Whisky Category at the International Spirits Challenge. Perhaps the most compelling part of the Lidl range is that it is not expensive, and varies in price from around £30 upwards. The Glen Alba 34 Year Old, the oldest of the malts, retails at £44.99, is the perfect example of why Lidl have done so well in the Scotch category.

Glen Alba 22 Year Old: The Youngest

The youngest of the bunch is Glen Alba 22, a 22 YO with a Sherry cask finish. Priced at just £29.99, this is a brilliantly fruity expression, with just the right amount of malty spice peaking through. The nose conjures images of rich orchards bursting with multiple varieties of fruit, all dusted with a cinnamon hue. Apples, orange, bananas and pears are all present in the first whiff with great distinction to each.  They are sweet and juicy, just beckoning to be plucked from the bough. With a healthy dose of spice on top, the nose is only a sign of just what is to come. There are also hints of rich malt and oaky woodiness throughout the nose.

These flavours are boosted on the palate and the blend really comes alive. The fruit takes a dry, tangy turn and is wonderfully complemented by the subtle dullness of the oak.  The Sherry of the barrels can be tasted in the fruit and the characteristic combination of sweet and spice. Overall the palate has a warming clarity of flavours, with the fruits and oak being separate and complementary all at once. The finish is quick and the warming qualities becoming ever more apparent.

Glen Alba 25 Year Old

The Glen Alba YO is also finished in a Sherry cask, and a refined and sophisticated step up from Glenalba 22. The opening nose is dark and strong, and although not immediate, the rich sweetness and spice can be detected just under the surface. Upon further inspection, there is a deep fruity flavour with nutty overtones reminiscent of the Sherry cask.  The sweetness of the fruit is perfectly complemented with hazelnuts and cashews making an appearance every now and then. There is a distinct caramel flavour to the sweetness, intertwining with the nuttiness to create a wonderful combination.

On the palate, the mouth feel is super smooth, with the creamy caramel really standing out. Chocolate oranges and candied citrus peels make their way to the forefront, with the tell tale Sherry spice to give them depth and sophistication.  The warming qualities of the 22-Year-Old are even more evident in Glen Alba 25 and they make this the perfect dram for enjoying across from a blazing fire on a cold winter’s night.

The finish is dry and filled with plenty of fruit and spice, extending that warming sensation right to the end.

Glen Alba 34 Year Old

This expression has been matured in sherry casks and was first distilled in 1981. It is brimming with flavours and opens with a nose of sweet and spice. It is the ideal Christmas dram, with lots of warming aromas, like cinnamon and apple pie, and a delicate hint of gingerbread. The spices are easy going and perfect for sipping round an open fire. They combine well with the various fruits that also make an appearance, including fresh cooking apples and citrus fruits. There is an orange tang that goes excellently with the cinnamon spice. This develops into a sweeter marmalade flavour that is combined with chewy fudge and dark chocolate. These sweeter flavours give a nice backdrop for the spices to play off. On the palate, this dram is incredibly smooth, as one would expect after 34 years. It goes down easy and is full of flavour.

The sweet marmalade and dark chocolate come together well on the palate and are joined with similar flavours, such as bitter coffee and liquorice. There is also a distinctly almond flavour that ties in well. It becomes more like marzipan in texture and taste as the dram continues, bringing together the sweet chocolate and fruit flavours as it goes. This is brings in oak wood as well, with a slightly vanilla and cinnamon edge to it. This grows and deepens into a maple syrup flavour that coats the chocolate and wood and combines them all in harmony.

The finish continues along the sweet note, with one final kick of cinnamon to tie it altogether. This Glen Alba is a dram definitely worth enjoying while reminiscing about days gone by in cozy surroundings.

Abrachan Blended Malt

Abrachan Blended Malt is an expression produced by Lidl and is part of the standard spirits range. It comprises of single malt whiskies which have been matured in 3 different casks; Bourbon Barrels, Oloroso Sherry Butts and Tawny Port Pipes before being vatted together to make the blend. It doesn’t carry an age statement, but is bottled at a moderate 42%. 

Despite being only £17.99 a bottle, it has won several awards including Silver at the 2014 IWCS and 2015 International Spirits Challenge.

Nose: Rich fruit jumps out at first — sherry Christmas cake, but sweeter more candied fruit as well. A hint of vanilla too and some malty notes. Big fig flavours appear but there’s a dark sugar / treacle undercurrent. Black cherries detected and then perfumed sugar with pear drops. A really pleasant, mouthwatering nose.

Quite a rich mouthfeel — smooth arrival with the dark cherries being the first flavour, but then quickly overtaken with some more bitter notes. Clove and orange can be detected, but then burnt toffee, dried ginger and bitter dark chocolate with some leathery dryness. It sweetens up with dried fruit just before the finish.

Finish:  The finish isn’t hugely long, but there’s a woody dryness which keeps it lingering and the oily texture prevents it being washed away. Really very pleasant.

Overall: I think anyone blind-tasting Abrachan would judge it to be more expensive than is it. It’s a good whisky anyway, but when you factor in the price, it makes it a great whisky. Whilst not the most complex of spirits, the flavours are very good and it balances being approachable and interesting with ease. At £17.99 a bottle, this is definitely a bottle to take along.