Aldi Ireland wins Own Brand Supermarket of the Year Second year running for prestigious Icons of Whisky Ireland Award
Aldi Ireland has once again been awarded ‘Own Brand Supermarket of the Year’ this being the second year in a row, by Whisky Magazine’s awards 'The Icons of Whisky Ireland'. The Ireland category was created to celebrate and honour the whiskey resurgence in this country, driven by the people and places recognised. The industry-nominated awards saw leading whiskey experts nominate Aldi ahead of its major competitors, with winners chosen for showing particular dedication and drive, taking not just their companies, but the industry too, to another level.
Over the past 3 years, Aldi has been adding to their roster of whiskey, ensuring that Aldi customers have an unbeatable range of whiskies to suit all tastes and budgets.
Ardfallen Whiskey, €18.68/70cl, was the first private label collaboration for Aldi Ireland and West Cork Distillers and it has added to the awards tally for Aldi, winning Gold Medal at the World Spirit Awards in 2020. Launched in 2019, the product was developed to Aldi’s own specification, crafted in small batches, traditionally triple distilled, and matured in bourbon casks. Ardfallen got its name from the region in County Cork where the malted barley is sourced. The whiskey is crafted in small batches and has been meticulously blended to give an aroma of chocolate, almond and green fruit with a lingering sweetness to the taste and a finish of vanilla and cocoa that ends with a slight spiciness.
Kevin Egan, Head of Research & Development at West Cork Distillers said: “Developing the Ardfallen blend was a collaborative exercise with Aldi Ireland and we are delighted with the resultant whiskey.”
Highland Black, 8 Year Old Scotch, €14.74/70cl is a multi-award winning whisky, including Gold Medal in the 2019 Spirits Business Scotch Whisky Masters, which is a global competition that pits spirits against each other in a series of rigorous blind taste tests. The product is no stranger to gold medals, having picked these up in both the International Wines & Spirits Competition and the International Spirits Challenge previously.
Samuel Joe’s Bourbon, €14.25/70cl has sweet, floral notes on the nose with hints of chocolate, cocoa and vanilla - this bourbon has been winning awards for years, from a silver outstanding medal in the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2013, to most recently, another silver at the 2019 International Spirits Challenge.
Commenting on the award, John Curtin, Aldi Group Buying Director said:
“This second consecutive win is a testament to the superior quality and range of whiskeys now available from Aldi nationwide. It is particularly gratifying that these are independent industry experts who have yet again recognised Aldi for the part it plays in championing whiskey, and as a leading Irish retailer for quality food and drink. We look forward to continuing to expand our spirits range across 2021, providing customers with the best whiskey at market leading prices.”
Big congratulations to the Team over at Aldi. Having sampled many a drop of West Cork liquid in the past, and some of Aldi’s very reasonably priced whiskeys, I'm delighted to see them pick up this highly regarded accolade once again.
At these prices, whiskey that grab such attention on the main stage tend to sell through fast, so go stock up and see what all the fuss is about!
Slán go fóill,