The Best Supermarket Balsamic Vinegars: Tasted and Rated
When it comes to balsamic vinegar, you truly get what you pay for. Our resident product tester sampled a range of high-street options, from budget-friendly bottles to premium aged varieties. The best balsamic vinegars come from Modena, Italy, and carry at least IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status, ensuring they meet certain quality standards. While none of the tested vinegars achieved PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status—a more rigorous certification requiring a 12-year aging process and prices upwards of £1,200 per litre—the overall quality was impressively high.
Testing Methodology
Each vinegar was evaluated for viscosity, colour, aroma, and taste. The products ranged from young, acidic vinegars with low sweetness to syrupy balsamics with sugar content as high as 80%. The test proved challenging due to the consistently high quality across the board.
Top Picks
Best Overall: Tesco Finest Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
£8 for 250ml (£3.20/100ml) – 4/5 stars
This invecchiato (aged) vinegar boasts a medium viscosity and dark cherry-red hues. It offers an acidic, rich aroma with caramelised, fruity flavours. With 51.4% sugar, it delivers a persistent, intense, and well-balanced taste, offering amazing value for an aged balsamic.
Best Bargain: Co-op Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
£2 for 250ml (80p/100ml) – 3/5 stars
This thin vinegar has a deep mahogany colour and vanilla notes on the nose. Despite its youth, it is well-balanced with 19% sugar, offering prune and caramel flavours with a lingering fizziness. Not viscous enough for drizzling, but incredible value nonetheless.
Other Notable Vinegars
- Belazu Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – £13 for 250ml at Waitrose (£5.20/100ml) – 5/5 stars. A syrupy, black-red vinegar with a complex flavour journey from acidic aroma to prune and woody notes. 81% sugar (highest in the test).
- Bellei Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – £17.50 for 250ml at Ocado (£7/100ml) – 5/5 stars. Very dark, high-density, aged vinegar with deep red-brown hues. Sweet (77% sugar) and fizzy with rich dried fruit flavours.
- M&S Collection Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – £8 for 250ml at Ocado (£3.20/100ml) – 4/5 stars. Thick syrup with bright red tinge, aged in barrique barrels. Lively acidic aroma with notes of wood, apricot, and date syrup. 73% sugar.
- Odysea Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – £10.95 for 250ml at Sainsbury’s (£4.38/100ml) – 4/5 stars. High-density, syrupy vinegar with cherry-cola colour and funky acidic aroma. Tart dried fruit flavours, 74% sugar.
- Waitrose No 1 Aceto Balsamico di Modena – £13 for 250ml (£5.20/100ml) – 4/5 stars. Medium-thick viscosity, deep cola-caramel colour. Intoxicating sweet aroma, 71.8% sugar, with rich depth and bright tart notes.
- Asda Extra Special Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – £5.98 for 250ml (£2.39/100ml) – 3/5 stars. Very dense, syrupy with dark ochre and blood red tones. Sweet (51% sugar) with date syrup-like flavour. Most economical high-density option.
- Morrisons the Best Balsamic Vinegar – £7.25 for 250ml (£2.90/100ml) – 3/5 stars. Dense, viscous with rich mahogany colour. Caramelised and syrupy with rounded flavour, 62% sugar.
- The Deli Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – £1.79 for 500ml at Aldi (36p/100ml) – 2/5 stars. Young, thin, cola-coloured vinegar. Acidic with a hint of raisin, sharp initially, but underlying sweetness (20.7% sugar). Too thin for drizzling.
For more, see our guide to the best extra-virgin olive oil.
