Ben Bracken Islay Single Malt - Whisky Review

Time for another dram!

An Islay Single Malt Whisky made for Lidl GB.

A bit about

Ben Bracken Islay Single Malt has 40% ABV and has been aged for 3 years.

It won Silver in 2020 at the International Spirits Challenge and Gold in 2020 at The Scotch Whisky Masters - The Spirits Business.

The bottle I have is produced and bottled by Clydeside Scotch Whisky Co, Glasgow.

Time to try it

Nose: Very smoky with copious amounts of brine, a bit of citrus and a lot of sweetness.

Palate: Very sweet, delicate on the palate, still a bit citrusy, with salted caramel and a hint of spice

Finish: Long, slightly oily and a bit spicy with lingering orange

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Pros and Cons

It's quite on the sweet side and somehow feels a bit diluted. A higher ABV might make this one more enjoyable neat (for me, at least).

I preferred this one over ice (I know it might sound contradictory given what I've just said), but it dilutes the sweetness (which bothers me more than the ABV), and makes it overall more pleasant.

I'm generally not the biggest fan of super peated/smoky whiskies, so if I have to choose from any of the Ben Bracken range, I would probably opt for either the Highland or the Speyside version.

On the very plus side, this is a great ingredient for my Peated Whisky Chocolate Cookies Recipe.

In Conclusion

If you're a fan of Lagavulin or Ledaig, then this will probably feel too light, too sweet and too watered down.

If you've never tried any smoky/peated whisky, it might be worth a shot, just as an idea, especially considering the price (around £18).

You can find the Ben Bracken Islay Single Malt in Lidl UK, but if you want to try other Islay Single Malts, you can find a wide variety here.

As always, please drink responsibly.

If you like this little review please click on the little heart below and if you've tried this whisky, I would love to hear what you think of it, in the comments below.

I hope life is treating you well.

Take care.