I was born when this whisky was distilled. Wow a great example of aged whisky. Love it.

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2017/11/14/bottle-polishing-all-sorts/

N: You could be thinking there’s quite some Glenrothes in here given the raisins, yet it could well be a whole lot of Glenfarclas. On the other hand, let's assume it could be any Speyside whisky that’s had a solid sherry syrup-ed finish. This Glenalba possesses a distinct ‘old skool’ blended quality with rough=off-notes that gradually lift enough to reveal soot, shoe polish, tar, putty, tahini, clay, a little buttery creosote, a pottery kiln, rancio rubber [turntable bands], green olives, nut skins [Brazil=hazelnut], dry fungal=sulphury notes, funky dry oaked fruits, fruity trainers…… Intriguing stuff driven by age and helped along by that sherried injection.
T: There's yet more Glenrothes-ness on the palate and a slight yet distinct soapy note, disguised over time with some water and optimistic chewing. Also a soft-deep compacted sherried-waxy mouthfeel, albeit dry yet with buttery/thin-sweet candy syrup coating, fruit-sweet led with firm oaked-tannins. The barley spirit incredibly still somewhat identifiable despite all the layered distractions. Old sooty=sulphury sherry into the finish with a tangy bitter-aniseed<sweetness and a little oily balsa wood - all tasty conflictions.
F: More mouthfeel fun with slippery oily sherried bees wax to the death, accompanied all the way by a weary-dry-sherried aniseed=peppery & aromatic>chilli spice heat.
C: Despite even more inherent problems than the heavy-handed sherry finished 25yo [swamped with tannins and random conflicts], I find this older brother a most likeable old skool style blend. A 34yo blend for £45, get down to Lidl for a try.Scores a C[+]

BLIND:

N: Sweet spongey putty sherry with a sugar-butter=damp-mushroom/fungal creamy bourbon base.
T: Puzzling thin, tannic chew, chew, chew
F: Heaps of thin-wine-y sherry tannins with malty chocolate. I know this, even more than the Ben Bracken and i guess it right.
C: Compared alongside the Ben Bracken its crude and brash but it still remains [for what it is], a well made/likeable/finished whisky concoction. It’s reconfirmed my belief that this is my favourite expression over the 25yo?Scores a B-

N: Much more gentle than the first two with heaps of stewed fruits served with woody pine ice-cream. The word is integration of all the flavours as you may expect from such an aged blend like this. This melding brings lovely fruity, foosty, Fimo notes, a deep & sweet light-medium char toasting, honeyed-roasted fennel, singed roasted garlic,… and only a little cardboard. I simply love this soft and old blended style. Seems like a high malt content to me.
T: Comes in at once but there’s no congestion. Texturally it’s rather silken [as Richard Woodard notes with reference to the GA 25yo SW]. After the sherry-sugar complex has passed, the sweet & deep oak murmurs whilst the old malt, grain [detectable here], and sherry ‘make hay’.
F: Mild rubbery sulphur which is rather tasty on this occasion with most of the sherry finishing playing out at the death. It’s a long finish on oily, old, mild-bitter oak notes and sherried tannins.
C: I’ve caned this bottle with speed, much like i have with a number of bottles of the 25yo GA WB. It can be rather easy to snub these Lidl whiskies but i think they’re quite alright. Despite their frailties/shortcomings/logistics, you won’t find a better old, ’old style’ blend for a more attractive price [£50 2017], and to quote Richard once again ‘everything is precise and knows it’s place’ [25yo]. This 34yo is well blended old scotch and if you haven’t tried it yet,….  I think i prefer this in some ways to the 25yo, yet both have their ups & downs.

Scores a B-

Blog

I took a gamble on this one, I don't know why, maybe I was seduced by the age, plus I like to try something different. It didn't pay off, it was poor, tastes like there was some sort of contamination in the wood. I didn't enjoy this whisky at all, as I paid £50, I felt obliged to drink it.