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Scottish whiskey “Bell’s” belongs to the budget category of drinks. Comparing this scotch to classic single malts or premium long-aged blends is hardly appropriate.
Nevertheless, in its price category, the product is popular and is rated quite highly. The history of the existence of the Scottish brand has almost two centuries, during which the company knew ups and downs, but always remained afloat.
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History of whiskey brand Bells
The date of birth of the brand is considered to be 1825, when Arthur Bell, working in a small trading shop in Perth, Scotland, began selling tea and whiskey.
At that time, the potential founder of the company hardly thought about creating his own drink.
He prepared the first blend of scotch only in the 1850s, and the company received the name “Arthur Bell & Sons” at the very end of the XNUMXth century, when the merchant’s sons joined the business.
The company was incorporated in 1897. A few decades later, the inscription “Afore ye go” appeared on the bottles of the signature drink, which became the company’s slogan. The literal translation of the original phrase sounds like “before you go.” In a freer Russian interpretation, it turns into “on the path”, and in a completely free one – “on the road!”.
Unlike other Scottish producers, the company survived the years of American Prohibition without serious losses, and after its abolition, it acquired three additional distilleries at once, including the oldest Blair Athol, founded in 1798.
In the future, the company increased its capacity, modernized production, conducted active advertising campaigns, developed new types of packaging, while maintaining the old recipe of drinks unchanged.
Loyalty to traditions and classic taste is emphasized by the inscription “Original” on the bottles of scotch.
The inclusion of the company in the United Distillers group expanded sales markets: today Bells products are sold not only in Europe, but also in the USA, Spain, Brazil, and South African countries.
Features of making whiskey Bells
The composition of the legendary manufacturer’s scotch includes more than 30 spirits produced in different regions and distilleries in Scotland.
Each of the components gives the drinks their own taste accents:
Whiskeys from Lowland give the product softness.
Spirits from Speyside give honey sweetness, floral and fruity notes.
Islay provides a smoky peaty flavor and brackish marine notes.
A permanent ingredient, Blair Athol golden whiskey from the Highlands, complements the bouquet with aromas of toffee, nuts and spices.
Aging in oak sherry casks completes the process of creating the classic Bells Scotch.
By the way, the founder of the company was the first who dared to use aging for blended types of whiskey, which had a beneficial effect on the taste characteristics of the drink.
An overview of the taste and types of whiskey Bells
The company annually releases new product lines, dedicating them to significant events and famous people.
However, the main range remains unchanged and includes 3 types of adhesive tape:
Bell’s Original
Traditional scotch tape 40 years old and XNUMX% abv.
The color of the drink is rich amber with golden splashes.
Aroma: delicate, with fruity, almond, honey-floral undertones.
Taste: smooth, fresh, balanced, with a light salty trail of peat smoke.
Prevailing notes: spices, nuts, ginger, juicy apple. You can drink as a digestif or in cocktails.
Bell’s Spiced
A five-year premium drink. Fortress – 35%.
The color of the adhesive tape is an intense amber with a transition to a shade of mahogany.
Sweetness, honey and ginger accents are noticeable on the palate.
The aftertaste is soft, with notes of creamy toffee.
The aroma is light, fresh, with apple, vanilla and grassy-floral tones. Good as a digestif.
Bell’s Royal Reserve 20 Year Old
A vibrant honey colored scotch aged for 20 years. The alcohol content is 40%.
The taste is rich with pronounced sweetness.
The predominant notes in the bouquet are ginger, honey, currants, chocolate.
The aroma is slightly harsh, fresh, with a thin smoky plume. Used as a digestif.
Is it worth buying whiskey Bells
Despite the high popularity of the brand, not all consumers evaluate it positively. The real connoisseurs of scotch drink, most likely, will disappoint.
This is an affordable blended version of whiskey that will appeal to unpretentious tasters or beginners.
Among the reviews there are both frankly enthusiastic (“worthy whiskey”, “time-tested”, “excellent”, “favorite whiskey”), and disappointingly negative (“poor-quality alcohol”, “wild swill”, “unpleasant aftertaste”).
When purchasing Bells products, one should not expect much: after all, this is a drink of the budget segment.
If you want to try really high-quality whiskey, it is better to pay attention to products of a higher price category.
Relevance: 31.01.2019
Tags: Whiskey and bourbon, Whiskey brands