A harbinger of quality and taste, a bottle of Bells in the cabinet is a sure sign of a home with true class. But this delicious tipple doesn’t have to cost you the earth, especially if you shop around, as our comparison of Bell’s Original Blended Scotch across different supermarkets shows: Supermarket

Merchandise – Includes glassware like JD shot glasses, long glasses and tumblers along with barware like towels, hip flasks, serving trays and ice boxes. In 2002, this was standardised, with all JD whiskies now categorised as 80 U.S. Proof (something that hasn't always gone down well with hardcore whiskey lovers, but attracts people who prefer weaker spirits).And if you’re thinking that an Aldi own brand whiskey doesn’t sound great, consider this: it won multiple gold medals at the Spirits Business Scotch Whiskey Masters. Fair play. For nabbing the big names without overspending, ASDA is a clear winner, though a big shout out goes to Morrisons with the joint-best branded scotch and bourbon varieties. The UK's Best Price Whiskey from Supermarkets If you’ve got a special preference, remember you’d do well to shop around as prices can vary more than you might think (even with our supermarket offers). For a guaranteed hit that makes a change from JD, we’re big fans of Jim Beam — 4 years aged in a white oak barrel leaves every drop as smooth as the last. This liquid gold is mellow as anything, perfectly suited as the base of your manhattan or old fashioned, and just as good on its own. Get your next bottle for less by choosing your supermarket wisely: Supermarket Single Barrel varieties – The Single Barrel Selection comes in Select, Rye, Single Barrel Proof and 100 Proof varieties and tends to be stronger and more robust than conventional options.

We’ve scoured the aisles of your favourite supermarkets to find the best value whiskey, so you can join the drinking elite without selling a kidney. Some findings: Southern Comfort – Another famous American spirit, Southern Comfort is a popular mixture of spice, fruit and whiskey that blends well with Coke and lemonade. Again, an acquired taste, it can be bought cheaply and is a superb party drink. The basic mash for a batch of JD starts with a mixture of corn, rye and barley, which is malted and then distilled using traditional copper stills. Before the mash is distilled, it is mixed in with a small amount of sour mash from previous batches to enrich the flavour. After that comes what might be the magic moment: the whiskey is passed through 10m tall charcoal burners to mellow its taste. Obviously, you could just drink your JD neat or with ice. You might also want to introduce just a drop or two of water to even out the taste. If you choose the no-frills route, you can either sip or shoot. JD shot glasses will provide just the right volume for a down-in-one shot - which is always a popular party option.The company gained a loyal following, but struggled against regulators during the Prohibition era, being forced to move operations from state to state as local governments shut down liquor production.