Whisky has been through a renaissance. Once seen as a luxury drink for older generations, it has now become a trendy bar cart staple with widespread appeal, whether it’s for the avid collector or the budding home mixologist. Combining expert distillation and maturation for characterful depth of flavour, the best whiskeys from around the world are increasingly in demand, driving up the price of luxury bottles. Meanwhile, supermarket shelves are offering a more accessible way to enjoy the spirit for less.

Of course, lofty prices can indicate quality, while not all supermarket whiskies can cut it. And yet,** **many are exceptional – three of Aldi’s have been named among the best in the world, while Lidl has previously won gold at the World Whisky Awards. “You can find great whisky available at almost every price point,” says Billy Abbott, author of a Philosophy of Whisky. “While more affordable whiskies will often not have the bells and whistles of more expensive bottles, you can find great quality wherever you look.”

This democratisation of whisky is partly due to some interesting changes in perception. Historically, whisky was seen as the working-class drink of choice – but the popularity of Scottish distilleries among the wealthy in the late 1800s turned it into an upper-class staple. Yet, thanks in part to social media, the home cocktail-making boom, and the availability of good whisky at fair prices, younger generations are getting on board.

And this trend isn’t just with whisky. Indeed, whether you’re looking for a top-notch wine for less or a glass of prosecco that won’t break the bank, supermarkets such as Aldi, Waitrose and Tesco are offering excellent options for your buck – if you know where to look.

There are, roughly speaking, five styles of whisky: Scottish scotch, Irish whisky, American whisky, Canadian whisky and Japanese whisky. Production styles also vary across regions; we’ve single malts and blends, as well as cask strength and peated whiskies. Blended and Irish whiskeys have a broad appeal thanks to their smoothness, but American Bourbon has seen a surge in popularity in recent years (its sweeter flavour profile makes it a great gateway spirit).

**Read more: **Best supermarket wines, chosen by experts and sommeliers

Meet the experts

Our trio of experts have years of experience in the spirits industry (Jonathan Hatchman/Joanne Gould/Aidy Smith)

Joanne Gould is a journalist with a decade of experience writing about food and drink. She’s written about every type of whisky there is for dozens of publications, from scotch and single malt to blended and bourbon.

Jonathan Hatchman is a whisky expert with years under his belt reviewing the best spirits, with tests of the best Japanese whiskies, bourbon, and rye.

Aidy Smith is an award-winning TV presenter, broadcaster and journalist. He is the presenter of Amazon Prime’s award-winning drinks-themed travel series The Three Drinkers and is frequently heard across TV and radio.