Bells De Luxe 12 years old Blended Scotch Whisky 43%

De Luxe sat twelve years in cask while Bell's outsold every other blended whisky in Britain. The bottle holds 75 centilitres, which on its own tells you how far back we are. That measure left the shelves when the EU harmonised bottle sizes.

The expert's description

Bell's De Luxe 12 years is a Blended Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 43 % in a 75 centilitre bottle.

De Luxe was the older and better dressed version of the standard blend. Twelve years in cask and 43 % instead of the usual 40 gave it more weight and a clearer malt core, and it was sold as the gift bottle rather than the everyday one.

Arthur Bell & Sons started as a grocery business in Perth in 1825, and the blend was built around Blair Athol in Pitlochry, still known as the home distillery. The firm is part of Diageo today, and De Luxe has been out of production for many years.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey, dried apple and a clear malt sweetness. Behind it sit vanilla and a touch of spiced oak.

Palate

Fuller than the standard blend, with caramel, nut and a warm note of spice. The extra three per cent reads clearly in the texture.

Finish

Medium, dry and malty with a last note of oak.

Specifications

Name: Bell's De Luxe 12 år
Distillery: Bell's
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43 %
Size: 75 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: De Luxe

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Nutty · Spiced · Soft

Investment potential

Medium. The bottling is discontinued, and the 75 centilitre format left the European market in the 1990s. Older blends from the big houses have started drawing collector attention, precisely because so few were ever put away.

Did you know?

In 1988 Bell's put a Christmas decanter into production with a new design every year, and those porcelain bottles are a collecting field of their own today. Some Scottish households keep a whole shelf of them unopened.

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Frequently asked questions about Bell's De Luxe 12 years

Why is the bottle 75 cl?

Because it was filled before the EU harmonised bottle sizes. Seventy centilitres became the standard during the 1990s, so 75 centilitres is a reliable sign that a bottle has some years behind it.

What separates De Luxe from Bell's Original?

Age and strength. De Luxe carries twelve years in cask and is bottled at 43 %, where Original has neither an age statement nor more than 40 %. De Luxe is fuller, maltier and less grain driven.

Which distillery supplies the core of the blend?

Blair Athol in Pitlochry is regarded as the Bell's home distillery and has historically supplied the backbone of the blend. Malt from several other distilleries joins it along with grain whisky, and the exact recipe is not disclosed.

Is it still good after so many years in the bottle?

Whisky does not develop in the bottle the way wine does, so the contents are as they were when filled. What to watch is the level and the cork. If the level has dropped well below the shoulder, the bottle has stood too warm.

Can you drink an old blend neat?

Easily, and at 43 % it has the body for it. Pour it into a whisky glass with a gathered rim and let it stand for five minutes so the twelve years in cask get room to unfold.

What happened to Arthur Bell & Sons?

The firm was bought by Guinness in 1985 after a much discussed takeover battle and forms part of Diageo today. The name lives on the bottle, but the company no longer exists in its own right.