Ben Bracken 40 Year Old Highland Blended Malt

On Sunday, January 8th, I reached the age of 40. It felt appropriate to mark the occasion with a whisky as old as I am. For over a year, I had anticipated opening this bottle: a Ben Bracken 40-year-old highland blended malt, a whisky that had aged in a barrel for the entirety of my time on this planet. Ben Bracken is a brand of Scottish blended malts owned by a German retailer named Lidl. Bottled at 43% alcohol by volume in 2017, the youngest component of this whisky was distilled at least in 1977 (much like Star Wars!). On the nose, it is exceptional. Notes of hay and freshly baked brownies. Aged macerated red fruits, like strawberries. Rich, well-rounded aromas. Red fruit syrup, a lovely and very elegant scent. After the initial taste, it released hints of chocolate, toffee, and caramel "temptations." Like a chocolate bar. On the palate, it is sheer perfection. Macerated fruits, Welsh grape juice, blackberries. The second delightful sip evoked Christmas hot chocolate. Raisins coated in chocolate. Oranges, dried fruits, candied fruits. The aftertaste is exceptionally elegant and not excessively oaky for a 40-year-old dram. Notes of pepper and ginger, acidic prunes, and the juice from squeezed figs. A faint hay smoke. Incredible. Overall, this was everything one could wish for in a birthday dram, and the most remarkable aspect is its affordability for such an advanced age statement. This is a limited edition of only 2880 bottles, which may be difficult to acquire but not impossible. Wonderfully elegant, fruity, and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My rating for this outstanding blended malt is 97 out of 100.