Germany's super-shy super-rich
£13.29 Lidl whisky wins top spirit award
The discount supermarket chain Lidl's £13.29 whisky has been awarded a gold medal at a prestigious competition
12:42PM BST 23 Jul 2014
When most of us think of whisky, the discount supermarket Lidl doesn’t spring to mind.
But connoisseurs of the spirit could be battling to get their hands on bottles of the German supermarket chain's £13.29 Scotch whisky, after it scooped a top award at a prestigious competition.
Lidl's Queen Margot 8 Year Blended Scotch Whisky was given a “gold outstanding medal” at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).
Judges praised it for its "striking nose, packed with vanilla, coconut and citrus notes".
A spokesman for the supermarket said “We’re delighted to have picked up the gold outstanding award for our Scotch Whisky.
"With hints of honey and peat, the malt really makes an impression in the mouth and leads into a long finish. At £13.29 per bottle it's fantastic value and means our customers can enjoy a wee dram without breaking the bank."
Lidl gained a total of 14 medals in the competition and wasn’t the only surprise winner.
UK brand Adnams, which is better known for its beers, beat off competition from Russia and Poland to take the Vodka Tropy for its Longshore Vodka – the first time an artisan English brand has ever won the award.
One of the more unusual spirits to triumph was Red Eye Louie's Vodquila – an American hybrid spirit of vodka and tequila, which won a silver medal.
Ewan Lacey, the IWSC's general manager, said that vodka-tequila mash-ups were “definitely a trend to watch out for”.
Lidl, along with fellow low-cost German supermarkt Aldi, made serious inroads in Britain during the economic crisis, and now attracts a far larger middle-class customer base. Aldi's proportion of shoppers in the UK classified in the AB social category (what most people would call “middle class”) has increased from around 13 per cent in 2012 to 19 per cent today.
Previous alcohol offerings from the two supermarkets have also won top awards. Last year, Aldi' s own-label gin, priced at just £9.65, beat more expensive rivals in a blind taste at the International Spirits Challenge and scooped a silver medal.
Lidl has announced it will be introducing a range of 48 premium French wines for discount prices in September.
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