Whisky Forum - Tesco Single Malts

soundmangt4 · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:15 pm Post subject: Tesco Single Malts

Has anyone tried one of the 3 Tesco brand single malts? Obviously it's just a single malt from one of the usual Scottish distilleries, sold to Tesco who rebrand it, but the question is - is it any good? At Â£19 a bottle, if it's half decent then it could save me a fortune as a standard every-day tipple along side the serious stuff. I'm particularly interested in their Islay malt, which I have read is a Bowmore allegedly.
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Rob Hughes
Scotch Malt Whisky Society member
www.smws.co.uk

Charlie · Master Of Malts Joined: 23 Sep 2008 Posts: 1404

What is in the bottles changes from time to time just depends where Tesco has sourced the whisky. Over the years i think their Islay malt has been Bunnahahbain and then Caol Ila, personally i thought it was Caol Ila last time i had it. The mystery adds to the enjoyment. I havent had any of Tescos malts for over a year now but their Islay and Highland malt where very good certainly great value for money.

Another supermarket whos malts are very good is Sainsburys, their taste the difference Islay, Highland and Speyside malts are bottled for Sainsburys by Ian Macleod distillers. I thought sainsburys Islay was Caol Ila and there highland was possibly Glengoyne.

Keith · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 12:41 pm Post subject:

As Charlie says what is in the Tesco bottling does change from time to time. I havent had it for a while myself but i know that the Tesco Islay bottlings had a batch number which could be found at the bottom of the bottle , below the rear label.
Batch No. L5 was Caol Ila then Bruichladdich
Batch No. L7 was Bunnahabhain (Peated)

Not sure what batch they are up to now and whether you will find any of the 2 i mentioned on the shelf in tesco now.

Innes · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:29 pm Post subject:

Charlie i also thought it was Caol ila in the Sainsburys islay 12 year old, interesting that you think it is glengoyne in the Highland 12, then why would it be anything else if Ian Macleod own glengoyne. I will need to pick up a bottle of the highland to try it.

soundmangt4 · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:52 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the replies - interesting reading. I did however, fail to buy some as it was only Â£6 more for a bottle of Laphroaig 10yr old, and I couldn't bring myself to buy an unknown quantity for such a small saving.
_________________
Rob Hughes
Scotch Malt Whisky Society member
www.smws.co.uk