Black Bull: the 1864 blend that Duncan Taylor brought back to life
Long before Duncan Taylor existed, a Scottish blend already bore the name Black Bull. When Duncan Taylor revived the brand decades later, it deliberately chose not to pursue a modern restart, but to remain faithful to a nineteenth-century recipe. This is the story of the oldest name in the Duncan Taylor portfolio.
In short
| First registered | 1864, by the Dundeese grocer and whisky blender George Willsher |
| Breathed new life into | 2009, by Duncan Taylor under Euan Shand |
| Type | Blended Scotch whisky |
| Special feature | Approximately 50% malt whisky, at high strength — unusual for a blend from that time |
A nineteenth-century grocer with his own blend
In 1864, George Willsher, a grocer and whisky blender in Dundee, registered the name Black Bull for his own blended whisky. At the time, grocers often sold their own blends, composed of whiskies they sourced directly from distilleries — a tradition that forms the basis of many later blended whisky brands.
Duncan Taylor brings back the name
The name Black Bull faded into the background over the course of the twentieth century, until Duncan Taylor breathed new life into the brand in 2009. Instead of devising a completely new blend, Duncan Taylor stayed as close as possible to Willsher's original recipe: an unusually high proportion of malt whisky for a blend, around 50%, and at a higher strength than was customary at the time.
Why that proportion of malt whisky matters
Most blends contain significantly less malt whisky than grain whisky, which often results in a lighter, softer taste. With around 50% malt whisky, Black Bull actually gains more body and character than an average blend — a deliberate nod to how Willsher originally formulated his recipe, at a time when blenders were still experimenting extensively with ratios.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Black Bull the same brand as Duncan Taylor?
Black Bull is a blended whisky range within the Duncan Taylor portfolio, alongside single malt ranges such as Octave, Battlehill, and Premium.
Who was George Willsher?
A grocer and whisky blender from Dundee who registered the name Black Bull for his own blend in 1864 — decades before Duncan Taylor existed.
What makes Black Bull different from an average blend?
The unusually high proportion of malt whisky, around 50%, gives Black Bull more body and character than most blends, which typically contain much more grain whisky.
Since when has Duncan Taylor been bottling Black Bull again?
Since 2009, when Euan Shand breathed new life into the historic brand with a recipe that stayed close to the original from 1864.
