Sainbury's "Feel the lightness of your wallet" range

[Exciseman]

Up until recently, Sainsbury's did three 12yo single malts in its "Taste the Difference" range - a Speysider, a Highlander and an Islay. They were full-size 70cl bottles at 40% ABV. Each is currently still on sale in my local store at around £20.

Today, for the first time, I saw the new "Taste the Difference" 12yo range - still a Speysider, a Highlander an Islay, but not non-chillfiltered. They are smaller 50cl bottles at a slightly increased 46% ABV. The price is £28+

So, 71% whisky (ie 50cl/70cl) for 140% (ie £28/£20) the price. True, it is a little higher strength and non-filtered, but still a bit cheeky. Nice packaging though.

[quady]

£28 is pretty high for 500ml of unnamed 12yo even given its ucf.

Thats more expensive than Ardbeg per volume, or an HP 12 or Pultney 12.

Hopefully it'll come down - surely the 'whisky sales' are almost upon us...

[Gordon_H]

So works out roughly £39 for an equivalent 70cl bottle ?
Would be interesting to know from where the Islay one came.....

[Nick Brown]

I've always felt that the alcoholic drinks didn't sit well in the Taste The Difference (TTD) range. Most TTD products are expensive - more expensive than proprietary brands and the idea is that you pay a hefty premium for something that really is the very best quality. On the drinks range, though, TTD seemed to be pitched at slightly more expensive than entry level own label stuff but not much more. It really let down the TTD range. It'll be interesting to see whether customers really will pay a premium for top quality alcoholic own brands.

[les taylor]

Nick the answer is no.

And Tim thanks for doing the maths on that.

[woodhill]

Tesco seem to have moved their own range into a 12 year old bottling at a considerably higher price then the 10,

The 10 yr islay at £17-19 was a brilliant drink - I wont risk it yet with the 12 at £25ish.

[C57]

Good to see you back Jacob (Off topic)

[lordschleife]

I was in Sainsburys yesterday and spotted the new TTD range, exactly the same thoughts went through my head, £28.49 for 50cl works out at just under £40 for 70cl bottle! If I was spending around that in a supermarket I'd pick up the Lagavulin over a TTD islay. Perhaps they're hoping people don't notice its only 50cl, but surely those reading the label looking for 46% and non chill filtered will spot this.
Also using the example of TTD Islay, Laphroaig 10 or QC is usually available for a similar price so again why would someone pick a Sainsburys bottle over them?
Anyway they still had the old TTD range, so picked up one of them for under £20 to try