Bell’s Blended Scotch Whisky

Today I look at an affordable brand with a memorable catchphrase. It was also my dad’s every day drinking whisky. So it has been around for quite a while; the Bell’s blended Scotch whisky.
Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for blended whisky. A collection of all the interesting releases I have tried. From Scotland and all around the world including some of the most well known and loved brands.

Today I look at an affordable brand with a memorable catchphrase. It was also my dad’s every day drinking whisky. So it has been around for quite a while; the Bell’s blended Scotch whisky.

Time and again, this blend impresses me. I have yet to meet a bottle of Ballantine’s that I do not love. The Ballantine’s 17 yo and the Scapa Distillers Edition are divine whiskies. And today I am trying one of the older releases in my collection. The Ballantine’s 30 year oldblended Scotch whisky. What a long time that is. A whole lifetime.

If you’re a whisky enthusiast like me, you’ve probably journeyed through the Johnnie Walker colour spectrum. Savored the nuanced delights of Blue Label, Green Label, Black, or Platinum Label. But today, I am setting my sights on where it all began, the cornerstone of the Johnnie Walker legacy – the Johnnie Walker Red Labelblended Scotch whisky.

A month or so ago, I saw a very exclusive cocktail that the Maxim Lounge at the Davinci hotel makes. This extraordinary cocktail makes Johnnie Walker King George V blended Scotch whisky the main attraction. It made me realize, I have a bottle of King George V at home, and it is open. I have never written about it, and it is time.

Today I try a blend; the Ballantine’s Finest blended Scotch whisky. Ballantine’s Scotch whisky dates back to 1827. George Ballantine began supplying a selected range of blended Scotch whiskies to distinguished customers from his grocery store in Edinburgh.

Earlier this year, I received a bottle of Ballantine’s Finest whisky as a gift from good friends. Neither John nor I had ever tried a Ballantine’s, so we did not know what to expect. We were blown away by what we found. Not only was it a fantastic whisky, but it also earned my first Divine rating for that year.