The Award-Winning Scotch That's Sold Exclusively At Aldi

Even if you're new to scotch, you may already believe that a good bottle must cost a lot. After all, you can easily spend $30 to $100 on a good blended scotch. This range serves as a rule, but as with anything else, there will be exceptions. One such example is Aldi's Highland Black, a blended scotch that retails for just under £15 (about $20) and has won multiple awards since its debut (thought to be in the early aughts). Sadly, it's only sold at Aldi in the United Kingdom and select other countries like Australia, not in the United States.

Highland Black Blended Scotch uses Speyside and Highland single malts, plus grain whisky from the Scottish Lowlands, all aged eight years. Upon winning a gold medal at the Scotch Whisky Masters in 2018, some articles erroneously referred to it as the best whisky in the world. This blind tasting features Scotch experts from across the industry serving as judges to taste and award select bottles in multiple categories. Highland Black competed in the category of age-statement blended scotch whiskies aged 12 years or less. Two others received gold medals in the same category, both 12-year blends: Chivas Regal and Scots Gold. Highland Black also won gold at the SIP Awards (another long-running international blind tasting competition) in 2023 and 2024.

So, what is it about this budget-friendly whisky that stands out in these competitions? Aldi highlights the spirit's notes of honey, toffee, and oak, while some on Reddit point to a strong alcohol sharpness on the nose, with one shopper noting: "The first time I smelled it, it almost knocked me off my feet with the punch of the ethanol." But it's the taste that shows why this blended Scotch shouldn't be judged by its price or distributor. After all, grocery stores like Trader Joe's have shown it's possible to offer quality spirits, including scotch, at an affordable price. Highland Black Blended Scotch is favored for its warmth and sweetness on the palate, with hints of fruit, oak, and subtle peat. And after the alcohol smell dissipates, the honeyed vanilla and woodsy aromas break through.

Enjoying and appreciating scotch is a journey packed with history and complex flavor profiles, with plenty of award-winning bottles to try. As your palate for the spirit expands, don't lose sight of the fact that price alone does not indicate quality and taste. Aldi may not be the first place you think of for great-tasting scotch, but Highland Black proves you should set some preconceptions aside and fearlessly try new bottles from unexpected places. This budget-friendly whisky stands side by side with well-respected brands at a fraction of those prices.