Being a whisky lover isn't usually the cheapest, as most of the good stuff normally costs you upwards of about £40 - and that's not even the serious stuff. FFS, why can't we all just be into White Lightning and Lambrini?
But before you start reaching into the back of your parents' liquor cabinet for a half-drunk bottle of Scotch, why not head down to your nearest Aldi, whose own-brand, super affordable whiskies have just been named the best in the world. For the second time running.
Advert
The popular supermarket picked up the accolade at the Spirits Business Scotch Whisky Masters, where it was battling it out against some drinks costing three times as much in blind tastings with bartenders, spirits journalists and educators.
The winning tipples were Aldi's Highland Black Scotch Whisky (£12.99/$17.35) and Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (£17.49/$23.37), both beating Chivas Brothers' Ballantine's 12-Year-Old blended whisky (£38.32/$51.20) for gold medals in their respective categories.
Aldi's Speyside Single Malt Scotch also won silver in its category.
Advert
Last summer, Aldi enjoyed similar success at the awards do. Glen Marnoch Spreyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (£17.49/$22.50) was awarded a gold medal in blind taste tests at the Spirits Business Scotch Whisky Masters, putting it ahead of a bottle that costs £37.45 ($48) and in the same league as London & Scottish International Torran Single Malt Portwood Finish - which would set you back a whopping £53 ($68).
Aldi's Highland Black 8-Year-Old Whisky also won a prize, making it the cheapest bottle of booze to get itself an award at £12.99 ($16.72) a bottle.
In total Aldi won five medals for its whisky range, which is pretty bloody impressive when you consider that it's up against companies that only make and sell whisky - unlike Aldi, where you can pick up anything from a pizza oven to slices of halloumi cheese shaped into circles so that they fit neatly into your burger.
If whisky isn't your thing, Aldi's got some great gin, too.
Advert
Not only did its £10 gin get named as one of the best in the world at a prestigious international spirits competition last summer, but more recently it also picked up the prestigious gold award at the International Spirits Challenge Tasting Awards.
With more than 160 entries from distillers around the world, the German supermarket's gin managed to nab the top award, which was only handed out to eight products.
Advert
It's described on Aldi's website as: "A clear, light crisp gin with rounded spice and a touch of juniper. Delicately infused and traditionally distilled for a clear, crisp and complex flavour."
The Oliver Cromwell London Dry Gin, which only costs £9.99 ($13.35) at Aldi for 700ml and £14.19 ($18.96) for 1L, managed to get Gold when its competitors cost two, three or four times as much.
Aldi also picked up bronzes for three types of its Eden Mill St. Andrews Botanical Project Traditional Batch Gin, a bronze for its Darley's Gin and a silver for its Topaz Blue Premium Gin. Not bad - not bad at all.
To the Batmobile! We've got some booze to stock upon.
Featured Image Credit: AldiTopics: Aldi, whisky, UK News, Drink, Alcohol, UK