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When doing the weekly shop in these difficult times, I’ve become accustomed to scanning the shelves for reliable ‘own brand’ alternatives to cupboard staples, such as Heinz ketchup or Weetabix.
As a wine and spirits connoisseur, I’ve even dabbled in finding ‘duplications’ for my favorite wines that are woefully unaffordable in price, reading the labels carefully to find a bottle with a vaguely corresponding flavor profile.
But I confess I never dreamed of doing the same with my favorite spirits, despite the proliferation of brazenly shameless and almost legally acceptable versions of popular drinks.
The problem is that, although it is easy for a cheaper manufacturer to create a label that looks good, when it comes to tasting the piece, if botanicals are used, these drinks have the potential to become a little unstable.
In some cases, imitating the quality of a good liquor brand is not really possible. Trust me: While your wallet might thank you, your head certainly won’t!
So can you get a cheap and decent version of summer’s coolest drinks? I put them to the test without fear against the originals…
A SUITABLE SUMMER DRINK
Pimms (£19) Vs… The Big Summer Cup, £8.50, asda.com
Pimms, £19 and The Great Summer Cup, £8.50, sold at Asda
I honestly wasn’t expecting great things given the cheap looking packaging and super low price of this Asda version, but boy was I wrong.
At a potent 21.9% ABV, this elegant sorbet is very similar to Pimms with just a little more strawberry sweetness. Just decant it and hide the bottle. Perfect for parties, if the sun ever comes out.
5/5
APPETIZER LIKE APEROL
Aperol Aperitif, £17, and Bitterol Aperitif, £6.49, sold at Lidl, in-store only
Aperol Aperitif (£17) Vs… Bitterol Aperitif, £6.49, Lidl, in-store only
In look and feel, Bitterol shamelessly imitates the famous Italian aperitif, but it does a very good job, especially when you consider that this drink is usually mixed anyway, so any imperfections are hidden.
With natural bitters, orange oil and quinine and the same alcohol level as Aperol (11 percent), its flavor profile is almost identical.
4/5
ELEGANT ORANGE GIN
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Orange Gin, £28 and M&S Distilled Seville Orange Gin, £19, sold in-store and online at Ocado
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Orange Gin (£28) Vs… M&S Distilled Seville Orange Gin, £19, ocado.com
Simply putting the word ‘Seville’ in front of ‘orange’ does magical things, evoking olfactory memories of warm southern Spanish holidays and fragrant flowers.
Tanqueray’s version is great, but M&S has also captured that elegant, complex Seville orange feel complete with subtle floral and green leafy notes. Mixed with Mediterranean tonic, it’s a winner.
4/5
AN IDEA OF RUM
Captain Morgan Tiki Mango & Pineapple Rum Drink, £18.50, and Old Hopking Mango & Pineapple Rum, £11.85, sold in-store at Aldi
Captain Morgan Tiki Mango & Pineapple Rum Drink (£18.50) Vs… Old Hopking Mango & Pineapple Rum, £11.85, Aldi, in-store only
Sometimes you wonder why companies cheat on certain products in the first place.
Such is the case with the Captain’s elaborate, synthetic and overly simple “spirit” that has almost nothing to do with rum.
Old Hopking has copied it well; better, some would say, as the rum note is stronger and more concentrated, so it gets points for that.
2/5
DON’T ESCAPE ON THE SUPERIOR TEQUILA
Blanco 818 Tequila, £45, and Sierra Silver Tequila, £18, on sale in Iceland
818 Tequila Blanco (£45) Vs… Sierra Tequila Silver, £18, iceland.co.uk
There’s a reason why drinking premium tequila is so expensive; Swapping it out really makes a big difference when it comes to your drinking experience and how you’ll feel afterwards.
Despite being apparently made with 100 percent Blue Weber agave, the cheapest option here, Sierra describes itself as “an aggressive formula,” and it is: nail polish, mud, strong burn. alcohol.
A Margarita mix will help a little, but honestly, avoid it.
1/5
Whispering Angel, £19.50 and Chassaux et Fils, Atlantique Rosé, £6.99, at Aldi
WHISPER IT – THIS WORKS
Whispering Angel (£19.50) Vs… Chassaux et Fils, Atlantique Rosé, £6.99, aldi.co.uk
Whispering Angel ticks a lot of boxes for a premium drink: Provence, brand! Beautiful packaging, tick! Evocative name, tick!
The wine is also quite good, although the flavor has changed as it has expanded and some say it is no longer the wine it was.
Enter Atlantique, with its eye-catching bottle. It comes from a lesser-known part of the southwest coast, but you still get ripe strawberries with a refreshingly salty flavor. For the flavor to be valued it is unbeatable.
5/5
