I tested supermarket whiskies for Father’s Day…winner was triple distilled triumph with spicy notes that cost just £21
FOR Father’s Day on Sunday what could be better than giving your old man a bottle of whisky.
Drinks expert Helena Nicklin takes us on a tasting tour through Britain and Ireland and gives her verdict on eight tipples to show your dad you care.
The English Distillery Sherry Cask Whisky: 3/5
700ml, £59, englishwhisky.co.uk
RECENTLY crowned “The World’s Best Single Malt Whisky” in a surprise win at the World Whisky Awards this year, this previous little-known Norfolk distillery, which has in fact been distilling for 17 years, did England proud.
The prize-winning tipple which became an instant sellout with drinkers more than happy to pay a premium to give it a try.
When you taste the contents of the bottle you can certainly see why. Sherry cask ageing gives it a warming, fruit cake feel complete with a moreish marzipan, figgy finish.
Smooth and sweet, its certainly easy drinking, though real aficionados might crave a bit more balance.
Cotswolds Single Malt: 4/5
700ml, £35 on offer (was £45) Morrisons.com & Waitrose
VOLUME-wise England lags behind other parts of the British Isles when it comes to whisky but to date, the Oxfordshire Cotswolds Distillery, which is the UK’s largest producer of the liquor, has been flying the flag for a fantastic range of premium English whiskies (and gins!) and also winning lots of awards themselves.
Very prettily packaged, their single malt is fruity and rich with a whiff of vanilla from Bourbon barrels and a splash of red fruit.
If you usually plump for a Scottish or Irish dram in your glass with a tenner off at the moment in certain supermarkets, it’s the ideal time to try this great introduction to fine English whisky.
Aber Falls, Single Malt Welsh Whisky: 3/5
70cl, £27.50, Tesco
WHISKY newbies would do well to try this warming Welsh tipple from the first distillery to produce the sip in Wales for over 100 years!
Rich and amber this golden liquid comes in a lovely looking bottle with packaging that belies it’s extremely decent price.
Super soft without a big boozy sting, this is a gentler tipple with honeyed fruit notes, a bit of ripe pear, a sprinkle of spice and some subtle cocoa and coffee bean notes on the finish.
At this price point too, it’s a great one to have in a British whisky line-up!
Penderyn Welsh Whisky: 4/5
70cl, £27, (Nectar price) Sainsbury’s
ARGUABLY the biggest name in Welsh whisky, the Penderyn distillery is located in the foothills of the beautiful Brecon Beacons where they’ve been producing their tipples since the 19th century.
This bottle, which you can currently pick up at Sainsbury’s for under £30, is their entry level offering and it’s soft, creamy and slightly tropical with notes of toffee apple and Christmas cake.
It packs a punch at 46 per cent abv but is highly drinkable with it.
With its fab looking square bottle too, it’s a great one for gifting.
Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey: 5/5
70cl, £21.25, Morrisons
IRISH whiskey (for anyone wondering, note that the ‘e’ is added when it’s Irish!) is famous for being super smooth, partly because whiskey from this part of the UK is often distilled more times than from other places.
Tullamore Dew does it three times with this dram and makes much of its ‘triple distilled, triple blend, triple matured’ status and you can taste why: Seriously flavoursome and round, with dried fruit and spicy, ginger notes, it’s light on its feet with a silky mouthfeel.
The best for balance for me, by an Irish country mile.
Ben Bracken Speyside Single Malt: 3/5
70cl, £18.49, Lidl
A SCOTTISH single malt on the shelf for this price is hard to do, so hats off to Lidl for bringing us this budget version for under £20.
With a classic Highland style, this tipple is fruity not peaty, with smooth enough, ‘caffe latte and a slice of banana cake’ vibes.
It’s a little hot on the finish and could have a more authentic flavour but for the price it’s hard to argue.
Mix it into cocktails like a classic Old Fashioned over ice, or serve some highballs, and I’d wager you won’t notice.
Highland Earl Blended Scotch: 4/5
70cl, £12.89, Aldi
ONCE voted ‘outstanding’ in a renowned, international competition this is a delicious dram for the diminutive price.
Certainly classically Scotch on the outside, with its Highland Stag on the label and traditional branding there’s no mistaking it’s provenance on the shelf, all it’s missing is a kilt!
Quite subtle but elegantly aromatic and without any boozy nose burn, it’s weighty enough on the palate with some candied fruit and spicy nut flavours.
Not one for die-hard Scotch enthusiasts but a pleasant surprise given how cheap it is. You can drink this neat but mixed is better.
Mckendrick’s Blended Scotch 3 Year: 2/5
1Ltr, £17.90, Asda
POUND for dram, this Asda tipple is the cheapest of the lot as it comes as a 1L bottle in comparison to all the other 70cl options, and while it definitely does taste it, there’s still a lot to like.
With a classic, if quite generic, Scotch whisky profile, it’s a little bit fruity, a little bit spicy and not at all smoky.
If sipping neat without water or ice, it is a bit thin and harsh on the finish, but in whisky cocktails, especially those with fruit flavours, it makes a rather good base.
Give it a go at making some fun Scotch based tipples like 1960’s favourite the Rusty Nail, mixed with Drambuie and served on the rocks!