Ben Bracken 28 Year Speyside Single Malt (40%)

Score: 18/23. I just finalized a deal to purchase a house. This whisky seemed promising when I acquired it, being a 28-year-old single malt, but I had serious doubts due to its obscurity, chill filtration, and low 40% ABV. High potential but high uncertainty? Much like my new home, so this felt appropriate for the occasion. Nose: Exhibits some maltiness with a touch of bitterness and water, alongside tangerine, some caramel, minerality, and a hint of Dungeness crab. There's also a bit of vanilla. It's on the lighter side, but the maltiness is rich. A floral hint is present. This is nice. Palate: With such a low ABV, it's mellow, and the flavors tend to blend. There's a pleasant sweetness combined with a buckwheat nuttiness, lightly toasted grain, and layers of interesting, balanced funk, marred by a disappointing bitterness, as if it were overly diluted. Hints of tangerine appear, followed by a more pronounced vanilla mingling with the buckwheat and malt. I believe this would have been exceptional at 46% ABV. It's quite good but slightly muddled. Finish: The malt provides richness, with a manageable bitterness. There's some sweetness accompanied by hints of wood, vanilla, floral notes, and tangerine. The grain is prominent here, offering a buckwheat note and a breakfast cereal character. However, it remains on the bitter side. It's a decent finish. Conclusion: This strongly reminds me of Linkwood 11 (The Barrel Thief Single Cask) (18/23) due to its nuttiness and Speyside profile. This version is more bitter but better integrated. McIvor 17 (17/23) tastes much younger and less complex, yet lacks the overly diluted, bitter funk. This is clearly superior. Dalmore 12 (15/23) is more indistinct and significantly less flavorful and cohesive than this. Overall, I am quite satisfied with this. I believe it warrants an 18.