Supermarket Single Malt & Bourbon Selections

[Steve Rush]

More one for the UK members but also interesting to hear how in general supermarkets worldwide stand with regards to the stocking of Single Malts and Bourbons.

I have to say I think UK supermarkets have improved vastly over the last couple of years with regards to what they stock single malt and indeed bourbon wise. Although there is still plenty of room for improvement.

I know each chain and even different stores of the same chain can vary but which store in your own experience offers the greatest variety.

[Deactivated Member]

I only get back to the UK infrequently but I agree that the supermarkets have vastly improved their ranges in recent times.

It was only 2 years ago that Morrisons had an initially exclusive offer for the Bruichladdich Rocks and that first bottling was rather excellent.
(Unlike the second - generally available rocks, which was more of a red in colour and not half as good as the first (pale yellow) one!)

When I do get back, I tend to frequent a local Sainsbury and they do seem to have a good selection.

Here in Germany, there is a brand new Edeka in each of two shopping centres that I sometimes use and they also have a very good range of single malts, especially for a German supermarket.

MT

[Deactivated Member]

Right now I have a choice of Somerfield or Coop - or Engebret's petrol station.

[vitara7]

has to be waitrose.

name another supermarket that sells 20yo talikser, rare malts bottlings and OB port ellens....

[les taylor]

I find it varies all over the place. Where I live we shop at Sainsbury's in Dunstable for our groceries. Which is the closest to where we live. A Mid size supermarket. Has an Okay range nothing special.

In the other direction Harpenden smaller Sainsbury's with a much better and varied selection. The difference being Harpenden is very upmarket and housing is much more expensive. Hence the selection in the store is better.

Go in to Waitrose in Harpenden. I have never seen anything unusual or that I don't have already, very dissappoiting.

Yet go into Asda or Tesco which seems to appeal more to the masses they always have some really good offers with some bottles being discounted by up to a third.

The moral of the story for me is to shop around all the time. Thats why I love it when someone flags up an offer with the supermarket deals thread.

[vitara7]

yes, your right, shop around, but ive never seen a port ellen or anything quality in a supermarket myself apart from the two waitroses in edinburgh, one in comley bank and the other in merchiston.

[Reggaeblues]

Yep, Les! like smokey robinson said..."Shop around..."

I plumped for Waitrose. Lucky Vitara in Scotland may get Port Ellen there, we ain't so lucky down sarf England way...but the local Waitrose do stock Ardbeg 10/Compass box Peat Monster/Talsker 18/Lag 16 and 12 (sometimes) / Aberlour a'bunadh etc. so...with lots of Oddbins disappearing tht can't be bad.

...and even our local Asda has a pretty good selection. And SOME Sainsbury's are OK, as you say.

P.S. Looking forward to meeting up in Harpenden on April 21st...not at Sainsbury's but at the Plough and Harrow - for music and a Glen Ord!