Highland Earl (40%, Aldi, 2014)

• Category: Blended Scotch Whisky
• Origin:?
• Bottling: Aldi
• ABV: 40%
• Cost: £11.49

What they say

Highland Earl is a blend of the finest grain and malt whiskies from Scotland. The blend is created using a range of the highest quality Speyside and Highland malt whiskies blended expertly together with the grain whisky from the Lowlands of Scotland.

What I say

Highland Earl is the premium blended whisky from Aldi, at a mere £0.49 more than there standard blend is it really worth all that extra money – well I guess I may never know as I haven’t tried Aldi’s basic ‘Scotch Whisky’. However, here are our thoughts on Highland Earl…

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Full refractive gold with strong tears
• Nose: Initially citric then vaporous ethanol, grain whisky, nail polish acetone, banana-y esters and new paint
• Taste: Buttery in texture and flavour with hints of toffee butterscotch and orange, a little cereal comes through and generates a sweet and sour sensation like pineapple and grapefruit
• Finish: Sweet wins out in the finish with lemon barley sugars, slightly chemical /grain whisky aftertaste and quite heart warming

Overall

Would I buy it again, probably not. This is however a decent young blend with heavy grain whisky influence, drinkable on its own but very usable for cocktails and short drinks / with mixers. I can see how this picked up the few awards it has gained. As Aldi’s age statement Malt is only 5 years old my guess is that this is probably of the same age? It has picked up some nice flavours but they have been diluted a little to far out by the grain whisky for me.

Score 60/100

Shop for Highland Earl Blended Scotch Whisky (opens Aldi)

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