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 Arthur
Bell's career began modestly in 1837 as Company Traveller for
a Scottish wine and spirits merchant. He made partner in 1851
and it is clear that he soon realised the tremendous opportunity
which blending held. Over the next few years, Bell toured the
Highlands, Islands and Lowlands of Scotland to seek out the
finest single malt whiskies and only in 1863 did he appoint
a London agent for his brands.
The accepted
practice at the time was to use young, immature whiskies for
blending. Bell, however, was adamant that only mature whiskies
be used in the blend - a decision that earned him a reputation
not only as a specialist blender, but as a man of vision with
the highest regard for quality.
In the
early days, Bell refused to put his name on a blend, believing
that the quality should speak for itself. After his sons joined
the company, they convinced him that branding their product
could only be good for business and in 1904 the first label
appeared bearing the words "Arthur Bell & Sons Extra
Special Old Scotch Whisky, Perth, Established 1825".
It was
only in 1925 that "Afore ye go" was registered as
the official company slogan. During the First World War, the
Bell family would have a few cases of Bell's Extra Special Old
Scotch Whisky sent down to the docks to be distributed among
the troops going off to the Western Front with the idea being
that they should have a wee dram, …"afore ye go".
Bell's
Extra Special Blended Scotch Whisky is the UK's most popular
blend.
 The
secret behind the Bell´s blend lies in its undeniable
quality and it is the task of the Bell´s Master Blender
to ensure that this legacy remains unchanged, year after year.
Bell´s unique character is derived from 35 different malt
and grain whiskies, each matured between 5 and 12 years. When
blending, the Master Blender has in mind the contribution made
to the palate by each blending whisky, and so ensures the correct
balance and consistency every time.
|
Courtesy
of Bell's Whisky |
BELL'S
EXTRA SPECIAL
AGED 8 YEARS
Nose: Softly grainy, with nuances of heather
and moss. Dry.
Palate: Starts moderately sweet at entry, then
turns more hard candy-like and caramelly at mid-palate, with not-so-subtle
notes of stone dry resiny oak. Oily texture and medium bodied.
Very focused.
Finish: Medium long and mildly floral/ripe/sweet
in the throat.
Comment: I favourably responded to the oily
texture and laser beam graininessof both the flavour and finish
phases. Approaches genuine complexity. Bravo. |
BELL'S
SPECIAL RESERVE PURE MALT WHISKY
Rand for
Rand, this blended pure malt from Arthur Bell & Sons represents
possibly the greatest value for your money in whisky today. It’s
enormously complex yet surprisingly easy to drink. You could expect
to pay at least R200 more for a blended malt of a similar stature.
But all this talk of money diminishes the true charm of this exquisite
malt – it simply tastes gorgeous.
Colour: Deep amber
Age: 8 years and older
Aroma: Sweet honey and nutty, Bourneville chocolate.
Taste: Rich honey complexity with a warm peppery
finish. |
Tasting
Notes by Paul Pacult |
Tasting
notes by Bell's Whisky
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| The
Distilleries |
The Bell's blend is famed for its distinctive character and taste.
To achieve this, Bell's draws its inherent qualities from four
of Scotland's finest distilleries, each with its own extra special
appeal.
All Scotch whisky is matured for at least three years, but in
the case of Bell's, every drop is aged for eight years or even
longer. Over time, in the traditional oak cask, something miraculous
happens; and after drawing out the complex, delicious flavours
of the wood, the whisky emerges mellow, rich, full flavoured and
altogether finer. Because the oak cask has previously held either
sherry or bourbon, those extra flavours seep in too, helping to
round out the character.
 Blair
Athol Distillery Pitlochry, Highland
Established in 1798 in the picturesque town of Pitlochry,
Blair Athol is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland.
This renowned distillery stands on peaty moorland in the Highland
resort and offers a malt of mellow, deep-toned aroma with a
strong fruity flavour and smooth finish. Dundee cake, in a nutshell.
The key, signature malt is made at Blair Athol.
Caol Ila Distillery
lslay
Fresh with a salty tang, as you might expect from a
distillery that is buffered constantly by the sea on the north
east coast of Islay. A whiff of smoke in the sweet, lingering
aftertaste. The distillery was built in 1846. On a clear day,
it's possible to see Ireland, which is about 15 miles to the
south west. Caol Ila is Gaelic for the "Sound of Islay"
which the distillery overlooks.
 Dufftown
Distillery Speyside
The old stone buildings of this distillery stand proudly
beside the Dullan River. From inside its walls comes a single
Highland Malt Whisky with a delicate, fragrant, almost flowery
aroma and taste which lingers on the palate. Sweet and sour.
Bells bought this distillery from 1933 and United Distillers
purhcased the site in 1985.
Glenkinchie Distillery
Lowland
From the 'Garden of Scotland', a forest walk of a malt,
with fresh green grass giving way to spicy wood and late summer
fruits. Soft spring grass. Because
of the distillery's closeness to Scotland’s capital city,
the distillery is a famed stopping point on the tourist trail
– and the proud producer of what is commonly known as
‘The Edinburgh Malt’ – the pale, dry aperitif
of choice for polite society.
 Inchgower
Distillery Speyside
It was purchased by Buckie Town Council in 1936 for
just 1000 pounds, before Arthur Bell recognised its potential
a mere two years later and snapped it up for 4000 pounds. Standing
close to the sea on the mouth of the River Spey, Inchgower offers
a malt of complex aroma and fruity, spicy taste with a hint
of salt.
|
Courtesy
of Bell's Whisky |
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