During our last holiday, we travelled around the UK, from Scotland to Wales, with a few English towns and cities thrown in along the way. It was a wonderful opportunity to explore the local whisky scene and, of course, sample a few bottles along the way.
While visiting friends in Wales, they stopped at Aldi and returned with a bottle of Aldi Highland Black blended whisky. At around £16 a bottle, this is firmly in the budget-friendly end of the Scotch whisky market. But inexpensive does not always mean disappointing, so I was interested to see what was inside the bottle.
Aldi launched Highland Black in the early 2000s as an 8 year old blended Scotch whisky. The age statement matters because it means every whisky in the blend has matured for at least eight years. An age statement on a whisky costing around £16 is not something you see particularly often. Plenty of inexpensive blended Scotch whiskies are on the market, but most don’t carry an age statement.
The Highland Black blend is made using a combination of Highland and Speyside malt whiskies along with Lowland grain whisky. Unfortunately, little publicly available information exists about the individual distilleries that contribute to the blend.
Despite its budget positioning, Highland Black has picked up gold and silver medals at various spirits competitions, including the International Spirits Challenge and London Spirits Competition. At this price, an 8 year old blended Scotch with some competition recognition certainly sounds promising.
Also Read: Black Bottle Old Release Whisky
Highland Black 8 yo Blended Whisky Tasting Notes
TYPE: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
COLOUR: Golden amber
NOSE: The nose is light and sweet, with overripe summer fruit, honey, vanilla and a touch of ginger. A subtle nuttiness sits beneath the sweeter notes. The nose isn’t particularly dramatic, but it is pleasant and approachable. This is clearly designed to be an easy-drinking whisky rather than a big, bold dram.
PALATE: The fruity sweetness from the nose carries through onto the palate. Ripe pear combines with vanilla and a touch of pepper, while buttery toffee and oak add some depth. Faint hints of lemon drops also brighten things up. The whisky has a medium body, though a little alcohol heat becomes noticeable.
It is straightforward, sweet and easy to drink, with enough flavour to stop it from becoming completely forgettable.
FINISH: The finish is relatively short, with lingering notes of fruity sweetness and vanilla. There isn’t much development, but at this price point I wasn’t expecting a long, complex finish.
RATING: VERY GOOD
The first time I tried Highland Black, I added a few drops of water to soften the alcohol heat. It certainly helped make the whisky smoother. Later, when I poured myself another glass specifically for this tasting, I got sidetracked and left the whisky sitting in the glass for about 30 minutes before returning to it. Interestingly, that made quite a difference.
After sitting in the glass and breathing, many of the alcohol notes had disappeared. I found that I no longer needed to add water, and the whisky was considerably more approachable neat. If your drink tastes a little sharp on the first pour, give it a few minutes in the glass before reaching for the water jug.
At around £16, Aldi Highland Black sits alongside some of the better-known inexpensive blended Scotch whiskies, including Whyte and Mackay, Old Choice and High Commissioner. What makes Highland Black particularly interesting is the 8 year age statement. At this price, that gives it a little extra appeal.
Of course, age is not everything when it comes to Scotch whisky. A well-made younger whisky can easily be more interesting than an older one. However, an 8 year old blended Scotch at a budget price is certainly worth investigating if you are looking for an inexpensive bottle for your home bar.
Final Thoughts
There was something about the palate of Aldi Highland Black Blended Whisky that reminded me slightly of Chivas Regal. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what triggered the association, but a few fruity, sweet, and vanilla notes brought back a faint memory of the more approachable Chivas style.
Highland Black is never going to be the biggest, boldest or most memorable whisky in your cabinet. It doesn’t have the peat of an Islay malt, the richness of a well-aged single malt or the complexity of a premium blended Scotch.
But that isn’t really the point.
At the price point, Highland Black offers an affordable, easy-drinking whisky with an age statement. It is fruity, sweet, approachable and versatile enough to work well as a casual dram or in a whisky cocktail. If you are looking for a budget Scotch whisky to keep on the shelf for an everyday pour, this Aldi bottle is worth considering. For the price, I don’t mind it.
Also Read: Bell’s Blended Scotch Whisky
