World Whisky Day: Celebrating the Water of Life

Jura is a remote island just 60 miles off Scotland’s west coast. It has one road, one pub and a small population of just 200 people. The locals here are an ingrained part of the Jura distillery, and their passion is essential to creating the iconic flavours found in the Jura range.

This 12-year-old single malt is incredibly soft and smooth, filled with plum fruit and topped with a classic gentle smokiness. We recommend trying it neat in a good tumbler, with just a dash of water to help open it up!

Straight out of Ireland, this triple-distilled, small batch bourbon from Hinch is a must-try! It’s a premium blend of 25 percent single malt and 75 percent single grain, making for a brilliant combination of tradition and progression that’s perfect for sipping with an ice cube or two.

Aromas of sweet wood and toffee jump out of the glass, whereas on the palate the citrussy notes are complemented by layers of dried fruit and caramel, which come as a result of 3-4 years ageing in bourbon oak casks.

We have a growing range of premium Japanese spirits at Virgin Wines, and the Hatozaki Blended Whisky has been a cracking addition. It’s made by The Kaikyo Distillery who, to keep things as natural as possible, avoid filtering or colouring with all of their bottlings. This also helps to preserve the more delicate nuances of the whisky.

The Hatozaki is aged in a variety of cask types, creating a delightfully complex profile of flavours. Expect grain sweetness, layers of smooth stone fruit and orange, a touch of honey and some barrel char too. This is rounded off by a lovely, moreish aftertaste!

On the topic of Japanese whiskies, here is another example that you cannot go wrong with! The Distillers Reserve Single Malt is an unaged example produced at Suntory’s Hakushu distillery, located deep in the forests of Japan’s Southern Alps at a high altitude.

Masterfully blended by Keizo Saji, this bottling is wonderfully crisp and vibrant with layers of fruity complexity. The distinct freshness is a result of exceptionally pure local water sourcing and is beautifully topped by gentle notes of peaty smoke. Enjoy neat, with ice or with a drop of water – whichever you prefer!

Now we’re off to Taiwan on our World Whisky tour, with this smooth tropical beauty from Kavalan. Made by master blender Ian Chang, the Distillery Select was created to showcase the quality of their spirits at a more affordable price – and it’s won a whole host of awards in the process.

On the nose you’ll find abundant notes of tropical fruit, which then return on the palate in the form of sweet mango tarts and apple pie. It’s simply delicious and exceptionally smooth, packing more complexity than you might expect due to faster ageing in Taiwan’s sub-tropical climate.

This list simply wouldn’t be complete without an offering from The States, and this gold medal winning single malt is definitely a worthy entry! The Oregon-based Westward Distillery strive for perfection using natural local ingredients, minimalist distilling and no shortcuts. And it shows!

The Westward Single Malt American Whiskey is a top-class bottling, with robust fruity aromas and notes of creamy vanilla and brown sugar. It forms part of a range that encapsulates the people and culture of Oregon. Enjoy it neat or on the rocks!

Here we are in Mexico, the last stop on our World Whisky tour, with something a little bit new. The Abasolo El Whisky de Mexico brings a new taste to the table by using the finest ancestral corn and a 4000-year-old Mesoamerican cooking technique called Nixtamalization, which really brings out the flavours in the corn.

The resulting whisky is smooth with a unique flavour profile. There’s notes of roasted corn, toffee, caramel and honey, while the finish carries hints of black tea and leather. Enjoy on the rocks or with a splash of ginger beer and soda water for something different!