Bells Original Blended Scotch Whisky 40%

There is whisky you read about and whisky you drink. This belongs to the second kind. It has no ambition of ending up in a collection, and that is exactly why it has stayed on the shelf for close to two hundred years.

The expert's description

Bell's Original is a Blended Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 40 %.

The story starts in Perth in 1825, where Thomas Sandeman opened a spirits business. Arthur Bell joined in 1851 and made blending the heart of the trade, and his name is still on the bottle. Through the 1970s and 1980s Bell's was the best selling blend in Britain.

The backbone of the blend is Blair Athol in Pitlochry, which the house took over in 1933. Malt from a number of other distilleries joins it along with grain whisky, and the result is deliberately kept light and approachable rather than complex.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and light with green apple, cereal and a suggestion of vanilla. A dry malt note sits behind.

Palate

Mild and smooth with honey and pale cereal. The malt peeks through halfway without taking up room.

Finish

Short and clean with a last touch of malt.

Specifications

Name: Bell's Original
Distillery: Bell's
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
EAN no.: 5000387905474

Flavour profile

Light · Fresh · Soft · Malty · Cereal

Did you know?

Arthur Bell refused for years to put his own name on the bottles, believing the whisky should speak for itself. It was his sons who put the name on the label after his death in 1900.

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Frequently asked questions about Bell's Original

Is it mild enough for someone who has never drunk whisky?

Yes, one of the gentlest ways in. Forty per cent, no smoke and no heavy sherry make it easy to approach, and it asks no particular effort to understand.

How many distilleries contribute to the blend?

The exact figure is not disclosed, but the blend draws on malt from several Scottish distilleries with Blair Athol as the fixed pivot, combined with grain whisky. The composition is adjusted over time to keep the taste consistent.

What is the difference between blended and single malt?

A single malt comes from one distillery and is made purely from malted barley. A blend combines malt from several distilleries with grain whisky, which is typically lighter and milder. They are two crafts, not two quality levels.

Can you make cocktails with it?

That is one of its better uses. Try it in a Rusty Nail with Drambuie or in a simple highball with ginger ale and a strip of lemon peel.

Should it have water or ice?

Try it neat first in a whisky glass at room temperature. If you want the strength brought down, use cold water rather than ice so it does not keep diluting as you go.

Why is there a bell on the label?

It is a play on the name Bell. The symbol has followed the brand since the late 1800s and is still used on the bottle.