Who says good whisky has to cost a fortune? Supermarket own-label whisky tends to get dismissed before anyone has tasted it, which is what makes the most recent competition results worth going through properly.
At the World Whiskies Awards 2026, Lidl’s Ben Bracken Islay single malt took a Gold medal in the Islay single malt category, the same category in which Bowmore’s 21 Year Old Sherry Oak Cask was named World’s Best Single Malt.
Every bottle listed below holds a medal from a 2026 competition, either the International Spirits Challenge, the World Whiskies Awards or the Scotch Whisky Masters, and all three judge their entries blind.
Quick whisky question
Single malt is everywhere, but what does it mean? We want to know what the word “single” means to you. Three quick questions, under a minute.
So, here are some UK market bottles that you can pick up in your next big shop.
Lidl Ben Bracken Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Ben Bracken is Lidl’s own-label single malt range, and there are Islay, Speyside and Highland expressions, with no age statement and bottled at 40% ABV. The label does not name a distillery, which is pretty normal for own-label Scotch. Bottling is handled by the Clydesdale Scotch Whisky Company in Glasgow, and Whiskybase notes that supply partners have included subsidiaries of Whyte & Mackay and Ian Macleod Distillers.
At the World Whiskies Awards 2026, the Islay bottling won a Gold medal. The judges described it as follows: “Peaty, smoky TCP notes mingle with vanilla toffee, soft fudge and hints of coconut on the nose. The palate integrates gentle peat alongside crumbly sweetness and drying wood spice, easing into a balanced, faintly warm medium finish.”
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READ THE STORYIt sells for around £18. Three Ardbeg releases took Gold in the same category, priced from around £32 to £245.
M&S Collection Kilchoman Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Kilchoman is a farm distillery on the west coast of Islay that has been producing since 2005, making it one of the younger operations on the island. The bottling sits in the M&S Collection range, selected and bottled by M&S.
It won a Gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2026. Lagavulin 16 Year Old and Bowmore 18 Year Old were also awarded Gold in the same competition.
Kilchoman’s house style is peated, and the distillery’s own tasting notes for its core Machir Bay release describe citrus and vanilla alongside smoke. This particular whisky has notes of vanilla custard, lime, and honey-roasted nuts.
The M&S bottle sells for around £40. Machir Bay sells for around £49 and took a Gold at the Scotch Whisky Masters 2026.
Aldi Highland Black 8 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky
Highland Black is Aldi’s own-label blended Scotch and carries an 8-year age statement, which is uncommon at this end of the market. Scotchwhisky.com reports that the blend uses Speyside and Highland malt with grain whisky from Girvan. Aldi does not name the blender on the label.
It won a Silver medal at the Scotch Whisky Masters 2026 in the Blended: Standard category, which covers blends selling for up to £20. Lauder’s and Clan MacGregor took Gold in the same category. Johnnie Walker Black Label was awarded Gold elsewhere in the competition, and Blue Label was awarded a Master.
Reviewers tend to describe a gentle nose of honey and toffee with vanilla and orchard fruit, and occasional floral notes. The palate is light to medium-bodied, with caramel, malt, biscuit and pear with spice. The finish is fairly short, with sweet vanilla and a little oak.
Highland Black sells for around £14.99, which is incredibly cheap.
Aldi Specially Selected Glen Marnoch Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glen Marnoch is Aldi’s own-label single malt range, which also includes Highland and Islay bottlings along with cask-finished releases. As with most own-label Scotch, the source distillery is not named. Auctioneers McTear’s have noted that rumors point to Glen Moray, Dalmore or GlenDronach, but nothing has been confirmed.
The Speyside bottling won a Silver medal at the Scotch Whisky Masters 2026 in the Single Malt Speyside: Standard category, covering bottles priced up to £25.
Expect apple and orchard fruit on the nose, with vanilla and marzipan alongside a clear sherry character. Raisins, cinnamon and warm spice come through on the palate, with oak toward the finish.
It sells for around £18.49 in-store.
M&S Collection Glenfarclas 10 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glenfarclas is a Speyside distillery that has remained in family ownership since 1865 and is known for maturing its whisky in sherry casks. This bottling sits in the M&S Collection range, which brings together releases from named distilleries under the retailer’s own selection rather than as anonymous own-label blends.
It won a Silver medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2026.
Glenfarclas describes its own 10 Year Old as having a fresh, malty character with sherry sweetness and a lingering finish.
The M&S bottle sells for around £54. Glenfarclas 10 Year Old under the distillery’s own label sells for around £42. So, here the supermarket will set you back a little more. However, it is presented in a lovely ribboned wooden box, and would make a very good gift.
M&S Collection Glengoyne 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glengoyne sits just north of Glasgow at the edge of the Highland line and is known for distilling without peat, using air-dried barley and sherry influence. This is the third of the M&S Collection bottlings on the list, alongside the Kilchoman and Glenfarclas releases.
It won a Silver medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2026. Glengoyne’s 12 Year Old First Fill Edition was awarded a Double Gold in the same competition, one of only five Scotch entries to reach that level.
The distillery describes its 12 Year Old as unpeated, with fruit and oak spice and a dry finish.
It sells for around £45.
How Supermarket Whisky Wins Medals
Supply arrangements for own-label Scotch generally prevent the retailer from naming the source distillery, which is why a bottle like Glen Marnoch stays unattributed while the M&S Collection releases carry distillery names on the front. The whisky inside comes from established producers either way.
Own-label bottles also avoid the marketing costs that sit behind established brands, and supermarkets buy at a scale that keeps unit prices down. So, just because these whiskies are comparatively cheap, it does not necessarily reflect the quality of the whisky. In fact, if these competitions are to be believed, you can find great whisky for very little outlay, if you are willing to look beyond the branding.
The three competitions mentioned here are all judged blind, meaning that said branding plays no part in the results. This is a great testament to the actual whiskies. Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business and chair of the Global Spirits Masters, wrote of the Scotch Whisky Masters 2026 that there was “No branding, no packaging – the medals are awarded purely on the merit of what’s in the glass.”
The Verdict
Whisky prices have climbed steadily in recent years, and the branded shelf can make a decent bottle feel like a considered purchase. Own-label whisky is worth a proper look in that context. The bottles here were judged without their labels attached and came away with medals from three separate competitions, which is a reasonable indication of quality from panels who had no idea what they were pouring.
None of it means an own-label bottle will suit every drinker, and batches do change from year to year, so a medal speaks for the whisky the judges tasted on the day. Still, if the goal is finding something you’ll enjoy without spending a great deal, the results suggest the supermarket aisle deserves more attention than it usually gets.
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