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If you want to pick up a decent whisky with your weekly shop, Rosalind Erskine takes a look at some of the best supermarket whiskies.
Over the last few years the perception of whisky has started to shift from an expensive, old man’s drink to be enjoyed neat or over ice to a diverse and exciting range of drams that can be used in cocktails, drunk on sunny days and be enjoyed by everyone.
Due to this, more and more people are trying whisky and one of the best places to pick up an affordable bottle are the main supermarkets.
Generally this information isn’t in the public domain, as they can come from big name distilleries (under contract) or independent bottlers. There have been some exceptions over the years, including a 12 year old Tesco single malt which featured the signature of Whyte & Mackay’s master blender Richard Paterson.
Over the last few years the quality of own brand supermarket whiskies has greatly improved. Aldi and Lidl, by far, have the biggest range of options and a few have consistently won awards. Both Lidl and Aldi’s whiskies have names that don’t relate to the distillery, but have been made up to create a range, such as Ben Bracken or Glen Marnoch.
From own brand sweet Speyside single malts to smoky Islay whiskies, the main supermarket whiskies include a great range of drams that'll suit all tastes - some even award-winning. Here we take a look at some of the best that you can pick up with your next weekly shop.
Price: £16.99
Best for: enjoying on cold nights
Lidl has won multiple awards for its range of whiskies, the most recent of which was a Ben Bracken that was launched in late 2020 and is a 16 year old smoky Islay single malt.
Whisky expert Blair Bowman dubbed the single malt “An incredibly moreish dram, perfect for the colder winter months”.
Tasting notes: On the nose there’s a salty smokiness, and on the palate you’ll find bonfire smoke, bananas, apples and oranges.
Score: 5/5
Buy it here: Lidl Ben Bracken Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Price: £16.99
Best for: a sipping whisky
Aldi’s Glen Marnoch has won awards including a Scotch Whisky Masters. This Speyside single malt is rich and fruity and a great example of the style of whisky available from Scotland’ most prolific whisky producing region.
Tasting notes: On the nose there’s vanilla, which follows on the palate along with oakiness and malt.
Score: 5/5
Buy it here: Aldi Glen Marnoch
Price: £19
Best for: pairing with chocolate
This whisky is made from a blend of whiskies that have been aged for a minimum of five years before being blended and left to marry together for up to three months in American oak bourbon barrels.
Tasting notes:This is light on the nose with hints of honey and vanilla on the palate.
Score: 3.5/5
Buy it here: Morrisons The Best Blended Malt Whisky
Price: £19.49
Best for: cocktails
This whisky is a complex and rich dram that’s fruity and aromatic. It’ll stand up well in a cocktail, but is also very good neat or over ice.
Tasting notes: on the nose there’s honey and on the palate you may find ripe stone fruits, more honey and vanilla.
Score: 4/5
Buy it here: Aldi Glen Orrin 12 Year Old Blended Whisky
Price: £22.95
Best for: a bargain
Asda also has a blended Scotch that's cheap, cheerful and ideal for mixing. It has mixed reviews, but you can’t go wrong with this one for cocktails or drinking with a mixer such as coke.
Tasting notes: hints of cinnamon, honey and vanilla.
Score: 3/5
Buy it here: ASDA McKendrick's Blended Scotch Whisky 3 Years Old
Price: £16
Best for: a cocktail party
Tesco has its own brand blended Special Reserve Scotch whisky, which at £16 for a litre. With decent reviews, this three year old blend would be ideal for cocktails.
Tesco also often does good discounts (mainly for those with a Clubcard) on well-known single malts, including Laphraoig.
Tasting notes:On the nose there’s vanilla, and the palate is smooth and sweet.
Score: 3/5
Buy it here: Tesco Special Reserve Scotch Whisky
Price: £14.45
Best for: A hot toddy
This well rounded whisky is made from a blend of single malts and grain whiskies. It’s good served neat but is best for cocktails or a hot toddy for when the winter sets in.
Tasting notes:
Score: 3.5/5
Buy it here: M&S Blended Scotch Whisky
Price: £20
Best for: old fashioneds
This is quite a rich whisky, making it ideal in a classic drink such as an old fashioned. Its fruity, spicy and tangy notes make it a well balanced dram that’s available at a great price.
Tasting notes: On the nose there’s a spiciness, while on the palate there’s Christmas cake, orange and chocolate notes. The finish is warming and spicy.
Score:4/5
Buy it here: Sainsbury's Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, Taste the Difference
From blends to the best that Islay and Speyside can offer, there is a deal for everybody in Scotland’s supermarket shelves.
Tesco whisky deals
Tesco has four big whisky offers for those who own a Tesco Clubcard. It’s free to sign up for one and using it will let you access discounts on blended and Scotch whisky.
The Famous Grouse is one of the more regular discounted bottles of whisky on supermarket shelves and Tesco is selling a 70cl bottle for £15, which is £3.50 cheaper than the Sainsbury’s offer for the same bottle.
Elsewhere you can get a bottle of Talisker Skye for £27, down from £48. Talisker Skye has a blast of salty sea air and delicate peat with a subtle fruit finish. For a smokier option smoky Laphroiag is down from £34 to just £25 at Tesco.
As we enter the summer months Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold, distilled over Scotland’s winter and designed to be served from the freezer, is £27 at Tesco, a saving of £16.50. The Speyside is a fantastic rich dram with a hint of sweetness.
Sainsbury’s whisky deals
Sainsbury’s cannot match Tesco on then price of a bottle of Famous Grouse blended whisky but there are some excellent offers on Glenfiddich to be found for Nectar card holders.
The supermarket has a bottle of 12-year Glenfiddich priced at £30, down from £39.50 and the 15-year bottle is now £42, down from £50.
The pick of the deals can be found with Singleton of Dufftown 12 year whisky. The mahogany coloured dram has hints of honey and vanilla and at £27 for a 70cl bottle, it is a saving of £17 on the retail price of the bottle.
You can also pick up a bottle of Cardhu Gold Reserve for £29, down from £46.
Aldi whisky deals
Aldi does not stock the widest range of whiskies compared to Tesco and Sainsbury’s but it does stock a whisky that won a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2024. Glen Marnoch beat much more expensive bottles to pick up the prestigious award and at just £17.99 it could be one of the best value whiskies on supermarket shelves at the moment.
Another option is the Highland Black priced at a reasonable £15.99 and available in store and online.
Asda whisky deals
Asda has a couple of whisky offers and unlike Tesco and Sainsbury’s you do not need a loyalty card to access the deals. They include a bottle of Glenlivet 12 year old priced at £31, down from £41 and a bottle of Auchentoshan American Oak Cask single malt priced at £23, down from £33. Matured in bourbon casks, the whisky has coconut and toffee notes with a citrus finish.
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