Betteridge’s Law of Headlines states that if an article is titled with a question, the answer to that question is ‘no’. Spoiler alert: that’s the case here. However, the question has been asked frequently over the past few days and I thought I’d better address it.
What just happened
The results of the Scotch Whisky Masters 2018 have recently been announced. Among those results was a gold medal for Aldi’s £13-a-bottle blended whisky, Highland Black 8 Year Old. Aldi, in typically efficient fashion, quickly issued a press release announcing this award. The world’s press, in typically lazy fashion, quickly copied and pasted chunks of the press release into articles declaring that Aldi’s whisky was ‘voted best in the world’.
I didn’t get the press release, so don’t know exactly what they said. However, The Independent published a quote from Aldi’s managing director of buying, Julie Ashfield, that might be to blame:
This is the second year that our Highland Black Scotch Whisky has been voted best in the world and we are thrilled it has performed so well again!
That’s not quite right.
Why am I posting about it?
I am not only a judge for the Scotch Whisky Masters, I was the chair of the panel which gave Highland Black 8 Year Old the gold medal.
I am, however, not ‘Manager von Whisky Exchange’ as Die Welt reported. Yes, my name appeared in Germany’s third largest newspaper. Fame at last…
What actually happened
Firstly, all of the whiskies in the competition were judged blind – I didn’t know what medal Highland Black received until the results came out.
Secondly, The Spirits Business haven’t announced their equivalent of ‘The Best Whisky in the World’. That’s called The Master of Masters, and they’ll reveal it to the world at the Masters awards lunch later this year.
Thirdly, Highland Black won its medal in the Blended whisky up to 12 years old category, judged against other whiskies in the category, not all whiskies.
Fourthly, there were three gold medals awarded in the category: Highland Black 8yo, Chivas Regal 12yo and Scots Gold 12yo. The medals aren’t awarded like in the Olympics – there’s not a maximum of one of each in each category. Each medal is an indicator of the score that whisky was given.
And finally, gold isn’t the top award that can be given in a category. That is ‘master’, hence the name of the competition – The Scotch Whisky Masters. Gold is rank two of three – 80-90pts.
In conclusion
Aldi’s Highland Black 8 Year Old is one of three blended Scotch whiskies aged 12 years or under which received a score of between 80 and 90 points in the Scotch Whisky Masters, netting them the second-tier award: gold medal.
But that’s not quite so soundbiteable as ‘voted best in the world’.
Now, please stop posting links to ‘Is Aldi Highland Black is the best whisky in the world?’ articles on Facebook. No one said that. Not even Jim Murray.
Very good, I am here after the recent Lidl ‘award’ and just wanted to do some digging/research for myself on how the whole awarding works.
I’m a judge for the World Whiskies Awards so I’ve been keeping an eye on this. There might be a blog post appearing soon, but in short: the press have misinterpreted Lidl’s press release, from what I’ve seen of it. What a surprise 🙂
Oh, and here’s an inevitable blog post about judging, using the WWAs as the example:
https://blog.thewhiskyexchange.com/2017/02/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-whisky-judge/
Dew of ben Nevis is rather good..considerably better than the overly sweet highland black in my opinion..
I have just poured my first glass neat over ice with high expectations as it has a gold award. My was I disappointed I seriously don’t think this is an actual Whisky. It is I’m sure just a generic alcohol base flavoured with an overly sweet and badly blended syrup.
I would go as far to say that it would hold up in court that this is blatantly misleading to even claim this to be Whisky. Boo to you sir, shameful and disgusting 🤮🤬
I’m not entirely sure why you are booing at me – it is whisky, it’s not bad whisky and I merely judged a version of it that was released more than three years ago. If you have complaints, please direct them to the lovely team at Aldi, who are more than used to it 🙂
Dave, you can’t be that much of whisky drinker. You don’t even seem to know the difference between neat and on the rocks. 🤪
ok so it’s not the best whisky of all. i liked and loved it. if it’s not the best in the world then why did the price go up from £10.99 to £15.99 within a year?? i was ok at £13.99 then got a different whisky. Aldi took the mick increasing the price steadily over the year so i jumped ship.
Spent 12 years roaming about the UK enjoying the wide variety of Scotch wiskey, both blended and single malt, especially in the numerous scotch clubs of Scotland. Had the great fortune to befriend a chap name of Alec Brown from Leicestershire. Alec was somewhat of a Scotch Whiskey connoisseur; had a hand written taster’s bible, and story to tell. We swapped lies for better part of a years over drams of 90 year old Glenfarclas; it was 25 when he purchased it. His generosity was an honor. Two brother bought that Glenfarclas; it was a pact; one never made it back. Alec said; He’d never found anyone to share it with. He gifted his bible to me before I returned home. Glenfarclas is not what it once was either; changed owners; different focus perhaps. At some point in the early 90s, I recall Famous Grouse was an acceptable blended, but that certainly has changed. I am not a fan of Chivas at any level – it belongs in the Johnny Walker bin. Won’t tell you what Alec had to say, but farm animals were involved. I was taken aback by the Highland Black 8. Certainly owns its spot on the shelf. With all Scotch whiskeys, I have to align with the folks who actually drink whiskey to enjoy its taste notes and intricate layers, and Highland certainly has a variety of smooth sweet notes, but its a bit muddying layering. Don’t misunderstand, I like it; I’m actually sipping it as I write this. Its sadly my last bottle. I’m hoping someday that Aldi will offer it to the US market. Although I venture to guess it will shelf with the popular Glens in price point. I found it a bargain, even at the increased UK price in 2019/ My recommendation to anyone adventuring into the world of UK whiskey is to be wiling to explore outside the well-known. And do not be fooled by price tags.
its still a great whisky. Now gone up to £14.99. The latest bottles have a wonderful orange peel on initial tasting and then develops as the tasting from the judges notes state.
I used to be one of those ‘single malt’ snobs, now really not bothered enough to spend at least double for something that does not always deliver.
It’s a reasonable dram at a reasonable price and I think it would be suitable concoction for newcomers.
I look upon it as a ‘session’ dram .
Break it out of the cupboard after you’ve had 3 skelps out of the more select bottle.
For those of you with more discerning tastes, don’t condemn, just disappear and spend the going rate for a more suitable choice that befits your superior standards.
Having been enjoying Whisky for 65 years, I find the Aldi 8 year old, the very best (cheaper end) blend I can remember ever tasting and at £14.99 is an absolute steal .
It’s a nice easy come- home sip. Not the best in the world, but at its price a good sit on my shelf. Not embarrassed to use it in a mix.