Aldi's Scottish gin under £20 named 'best in the world' at awards ceremony
The Scottish-made gin wowed a panel of expert judges with its "elegant" and "classic" flavour profile.
Aldi's Còmhla Scottish Gin has been something of a trailblazer. Since its launch a couple of years ago, it has racked up multiple awards and glowing praise.
And now it has another win under its belt, as the budget-friendly tipple has just taking home the coveted title as the World's Best Classic Gin at the prestigious World Gin Awards 2025.
The acclaimed awards ceremony recognises the very best of the best across a range of lucrative brands, with the German discounter's gin beating out tough competition from over 20 countries including USA, Germany and China.
Retailing at a humble £19.99 for a 70cl bottle, the Còmhla Scottish Gin ensures that gin lovers and shoppers will be able to bag premium quality at an affordable price.
After a rigorous blind tasting of hundreds of entries across the globe, Aldi's Scottish-made London dry gin managed to wow the expert judging panel with its "elegant" and "classic" flavour profile.
The World Gin Awards' description for Aldi's win read: "This gin presents a shy yet clean nose with a hint of dusty elegance and a subtle woody note reminiscent of moss.
On the palate, it showcases a classic blend of juniper, coriander, and citrus, accompanied by chilli heat and slight bitterness. While the flavours are complex, they lack full integration, leading to a balanced yet somewhat short and dry finish."
Aldi's Còmhla is a classic London dry gin that is crafted in small batches, boasting a well-balanced blend of notes including juniper, coriander and citrus, rounded off with a hint of bitterness.
Despite only being launched in 2023, it has already been the subject of significant praise from experts, scooping prizes for its quality and flavour profile and multiple prestigious ceremonies.
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The Scottish-made gin previously bagged the coveted 'Gold' award in the 'premium' Gin Masters category of the 2024 Spirits Business Awards, a ceremony championed by leading spirits specialists.
Before it managed to nab the most recent title as "the best in the world", it was previously named "the best in the country" at the 2025 World Drink Awards.
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director at Aldi Scotland, said: "We have had an incredible response for Còmhla both from our loyal customers and the wider drinks industry. To be named the Best Classic Gin in the world is the ultimate honour.
"Scotland may be small, but we consistently punch above our weight on the world food and drink stage. To be able to compete at such as high standard and to win, is testament to the craftsmanship and skill of our homegrown suppliers, and to the strength of the longstanding partnerships we have formed with them."
Aldi's Còmhla Scottish Gin joins a cabinet of award-winning tipples that can be purchased from Aldi, as the supermarket's Haysmith's Seville Orange & Persian Lime Gin was also voted 'Best in the County' at the same gin awards ceremony in 2024.
Costing just £14.99 for a 70cl, this trendy, citrus-based drink isn't just an award-winner, but it is also 46 percent cheaper than Tanqueray's popular Flor De Sevilla Orange which it has been compared to.
Aldi's best in the world Còmhla Scottish Gin(70cl) retails at £19.99 and can be bought in all 109 stores across Scotland.
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I think you'd struggle to find a club that's got a lot of money sitting in the bank and feels quite positive about where the next few months are going to go. 'I think a lot of clubs are looking the other way, which is how can they survive for another year, which is kind of a sad indictment, it really is. 'It is interesting, the question of an independent regulator. I know there's a lot of clubs that are really for it. In an ideal world, I think having an independent regulator would help, but whether it would actually be something that's achievable, I'm not sure. 'The Lowland League clubs actually met with Maree Todd, the Minister for Sport, last year, and that was one of the topics that we had brought up. At the time, she did seem genuinely interested in the Lowland League's message, but the message that we got back was that England was a different kettle of fish from Scotland, and I didn't get any vibe from the room that it would be coming down the line any time soon. 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It's key that the football club have someone at the helm who's got that real experience in football. We've got someone who really understands the game, has lots of contacts, even simple things like the new co-operation system that's coming into play. 'Having a pro licence manager who knows just about everyone in Scotland when they're going down the route, and maybe you're going to have younger guys in the team that are going to be on loan from other football clubs, it's massive. 'He's bought into the whole project. He's been a massive support to the current board of directors and the previous board as well. I think he really gets the football club, and it is massive to have someone of that kind of stature involved. 'It would be very easy for Sandy to just call it a day, and it's the same for his assistant George too, which says a lot about them as characters.' The co-operation agreements that Kearney references could, he believes, be a fruitful avenue for Rovers to explore, and he is hopeful that an agreement with a club higher up the ladder can soon be finalised. 'We've spoken to a good few clubs,' he said. 'Sandy would kill me if I told you who! But Sandy's got some good friends in the game, there's plenty of clubs he's spoken to already and we're quite well down the line with that, which is helpful. 'I think it's a good thing. That's something I think will really help. I think it's the type of road Scottish football needs to go down. I certainly think it will benefit clubs like Albion Rovers, clubs that are willing to give younger players a chance. 'We've got that record of bringing younger guys on loan and letting them go on to better things. So, I think that will really help. 'Sandy's been in contact with a couple of Premiership teams and I think the response he's had has been wholly positive, so I'm sure before the start of this season we'll certainly have an agreement with someone that will be beneficial for both clubs.' Some reasons to be optimistic then perhaps, at long last, for fans of the wee Rovers, who have remained steadfastly loyal throughout their club's recent tribulations. It is for them that Kearney feels the collective responsibility, along with the rest of the board, in giving them a club to be proud of again. He is certainly proud of their own response to adversity, rallying around their club by signing up to the 'Rovers Return' funding initiative in large numbers, where for a monthly payment, you can gain benefits like having your name on the team jerseys, while helping to secure the club's future. 'I reckon Albion Rovers could play in the West of Scotland's 4th Division and the same people would still come because it's just part of their lives, part of their Saturday,' he said. (Image: Ciaran Reid) 'Which is amazing really, because you'd think people would eventually get bored or whatever, but obviously it just shows Albion Rovers has got to be a way of life, almost. 'It's still Albion Rovers. It really is a special football club. In terms of Scottish football, I don't think there are many more clubs that have got that kind of brand recognition, almost. 'We don't have to do a lot for people to know that we are what we are. When you come to the stadium, it's iconic. Everybody knows about the place. 'That is something that's really helpful actually. I think that is a big bonus. It really is something to kind of hold on to, that history and identity we've got, and that's something we'll always do.' The name of Albion Rovers may mean something slightly different in the future, then, but that might not necessarily be a bad thing. It still means something.
