Up the oriel! ALDI’s Monaghan supplier, Old Carrick Mill Distillery earned a 1-star accolade at this year's Great Taste Awards with their Dúchas Whiskey. These awards celebrate the dedication and hard work of local suppliers, highlighting the exceptional quality and taste of their products. ALDI is proud to support and showcase the best that Monaghan has to offer.
Dúchas (DOO-HAS) meaning birthright, heritage, native place. The Irish word sums up what we are born with - Instinct is stronger than upbringing. Dúchas triple distilled Irish Whiskey is a high malt blend with a Ruby Port finish. The whiskey spends most of its life in ex-bourbon barrels picking up notes of caramel and vanilla giving it a classic Irish style. When the time is right the whiskey is de-casked and blended together, this blend is made up of a high malt ratio giving it more depth and body. The liquid is re-casked into special Ruby port casks giving the final touch of class, these casks bring out a deep colour and notes of ripe banana and ripe forest fruits. Bottled at 40% gives this whiskey a sweet, rounded mouth feel.
Dúchas is offered in a sleek presentation box making it an ideal gift. Dúchas wowed customers on its limited release in May 2024 and due to popular demand will be back in time for Christmas, launching in November 2024.
This impressive awards haul solidifies ALDI's status as Ireland’s Most Awarded Discount Supermarket. At the Great Taste Awards 2024, ALDI secured 78 awards, reinforcing its top position in the category.
Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Foods, is renowned as the world’s largest and most trusted food accreditation scheme. Since 1994, thousands of products have been rigorously tested by Great Taste’s esteemed judging panel, which includes chefs, buyers, food writers, and retailers from around the globe. Each product is blind tasted, ensuring an impartial judging process. This guarantees that customers can trust only the best-tasting products which have earned The Great Taste seal of approval.
Commenting on ALDI’s success at this year’s awards, John Curtin, Group Buying Director at ALDI Ireland said: “To have so many of our products and suppliers recognised at one of the industry’s most respected awards is incredibly gratifying, both for ourselves and our incredible suppliers. We are committed to offering delicious, high-quality produce at everyday affordable prices to our customers. Taste, quality, and locally sourced produce is central to everything we do. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our fantastic suppliers—this recognition is a testament to their hard work and commitment.”
Reflecting on the achievement, Steven Murphy, CEO at Old Carrick Mill Distillery said: “We are absolutely delighted to have our product acknowledged at the Great Taste Awards. This recognition highlights the passion and expertise that goes into crafting our whiskey. Partnering with ALDI allows us to bring our top-quality spirits to a wider audience, and we are thrilled to share this achievement with them.”
See the full list of Co. Monaghan’s award-winning products:
Supplier | Product | Award |
Old Carrick Mill Distillery | Dúchas Whiskey | 1 Star |
This year, products from across ALDI’s core and seasonal ranges received top honours at the Great Taste Awards. The wins not only confirm ALDI’s status as the top-performing Irish discount retailer but also highlight its commitment to supporting and showcasing the finest local produce in ALDI stores across Ireland.
For more information or samples of the award-winning products available in all ALDI’s 161 stores nationwide, visit www.aldi.ie
Slán go fóill.