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Jura Seven Wood – 2019 Review

October 10, 2024 Scotland

Name: Jura Seven Wood (2019 Review)

Color: Light brown

Nose: White floral, green grass, spice

Taste: Vanilla, barley, clean/fresh flowers, oak

2024 Revisted Notes:

Yesterday I reviewed Jura Seven Wood in 2024. I discovered I had previously reviewed this whisky during a visit to the Potstill. I was surprised to see my review below. I believe either I was drunk or my taste in whisky has evolved.

2019 Review Below:

Jura Seven Wood was the Pot Still whisky of choice a few weeks back when I was in Glasgow, Scotland for my cousins wedding. Nothing puts a smile on my face than going to The Pot Still in Glasgow and sampling whisky!

If you have never heard of Jura it hails from the Island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides off the West Coast of Scotland.

The scotch is finished in seven different types oak wood barrels. All the barrels are first fill ex-bourbon which are the following; American Oak, Vosges, Bertranges, Jupilles, Allier, Troncais, and Limousin barrels. Jura Seven Wood is bottled at 42% abv with a medium body profile.

If you have not sampled Jura before I recommend you start with Jura 10. A few years ago I saw a “Jura Brooklyn” but I did not try it due to its high price (approx. $75). It looked very gimmicky and marketing to me in the windows of liquor stores in NYC.

Price around $80 and it has nice balance of flavors but is not very complex. It tastes like regular Jura with a special release styled finish for a little extra marketing.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Jura Seven Wood – Revisited Review (2024 vs 2019)

October 9, 2024 Scotland

Name: Jura Seven Wood – 2024 Review

Color: Copper

Nose: Malt, honey, flowers, oak, citrus

Taste: Malt, iodine, dry wood

Jura Distillery was founded in 1810 and is located on the Island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides off the West Coast of Scotland. The distillery has changed hands may times over the years and is currently owned by Whyte & Mackay.

Jura Seven Wood marketing material states that the whisky is pulled from seven types of casks of differing wood. These woods are American White Oak, Limousin, Tronçais, Allier, Vosges, Jupilles, and Les Bertranges. The other six are French Oaks and I have only heard of Limousin. With this method of blending and the the whisky being 42% abv you would expect something different, no? Well, it is different, that is for sure.

On my first taste was Jura Seven Wood came off very weak and I was not impressed. On my second taste it was weak and now dry. Upon my third taste I got a medicine iodine taste and I was done. A week later I sampled it again and I found it even worse than I remembered. Some reviewers praise this expression, but I found it rough, cheap, dry, and medical a dirty finish. You know, like tasting shit.

I do not know how much labor it takes to extract whisky out of seven casks, blend it, bottle it, and sell it at the current market price. But it must cost some money and the price point comes off to affordable. I feel Jura literally got the bottom of the barrels and put this expression together.

Priced around $60-$75 and tastes like shit. I do not recommend it like I did in 2019.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Jura Journey

October 3, 2024 Scotland

Name: Jura Journey

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Malt, cedar wood, earth, citrus

Taste: Malt, cedar, lemon, white fruits

The Jura Distillery is located on the Island of Jura in the Inner Herbrides off the West Coast of Scotland and is adjacent to Islay. The distillery was founded in 1810 and has changed ownership many times over the last 200+ years.

The first time I experienced Jura was about 10 years ago at the Pot Still in Glasgow when my cousins’ husband recommended, I give it a try. When I got back to NYC, I tried to find other expressions from Jura but only saw Jura Brooklyn in the stores. I never got a chance to try it, but looking back, I doubt it would have been anything special. Unfortunately, I do not see Jura on the shelf or in the bars very much.

Jura Journey is in in the Signature Series, bottled at 40% abv, non-chilled filtered, and aged in white oak ex-bourbon barrels. Overall, it is well balanced and has a very nice taste. It has a little sweetness on the finish.

Jura Expressions have a large range of 26 single malt whisky’s and they classified under Signature, Travel Exclusive, and Rare & Limited Series.

Priced around $50 and good stuff. I will look to try more Jura as I find it.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Jura 18

October 2, 2024 Scotland

Name: Jura 18

Color: Dark Copper

Nose: Malt, flowers, wood

Taste: Malt, flowers, cream, honey, wood

Jura 18 has a lovely nose but is hard to detect all the notes. It is well balanced and has a medium body for an eighteen-year-old whisky. This expression is aged in American White oak ex-bourbon barrels and then is finished for several months in Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux red wine barriques from the southern region of France. I have noticed when whisky is aged in red wine casks, I struggle to nose it. I am not sure what my problem is but at least I know I have one. Regardless, this is a very nice whisky at 44% abv. I sampled it right after the Jura Seven so it was vast improvement and I might be a little biased.

Jura has 26 expressions currently on the market divided into Signature, Travel Exclusive, and Rare & Limited. For all these expressions, I do not see a lot of Jura in bar, stores, or duty free. The ones I do see with any regularity are the 10, Seven Wood, 18 year old, and an occasional specialty expression. I am due to be in Glasgow in a few months and I will see what Jura’s the Pot Still has on the shelf.

Priced around $150+ and worth the money if you like the flavor profile.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Chichibu On the Way (Cask Strength)

September 26, 2024 Japan

Name: Chichibu On the Way (Cask Strength)

Color: Light Gold

Nose: Alcohol, pears, apples

Taste: Strong alcohol, pears, sweetness, light smoke

I tried this whisky at a tasting hosted by Dominic Roskrow in the Flatiron district in NYC. Dominic was in town promoting his new book on Japanese whisky and I highly recommend the book. It clearly explains Japanese whisky and has great insight to the country, distilleries, and various bottles. That night we sampled a variety of whiskies and I enjoyed almost all of them, but this one I had a little trouble enjoying. This bottle is cask strength and is so strong I could barely nose the whisky and the taste was just as difficult to determine. I was very surprise that a whisky from Japan was this strong. There was no real balance to the spirit, just a big bite.

My personal preference is not to drink cask strength whisky. I have had many good ones, but they can be too much on the senses and can quickly become too much on my head. The “On the Way” was too strong for me even after I cut it with water a few times. Even after I cut it, I was really stuck on the taste the alcohol. I am not a fan of playing chemist with my whisky. A drop of water or an ice cube is the most effort I want to put into my glass and when I cut whisky, expect the whisky to soften.

As I have mentioned in previous reviews, Japanese whisky is very popular right now and everyone is drinking it. There are many types, levels of strength, and a wide range of price so I will consider this the first one I did not enjoy and I am surprised I did not like it. The strength of the spirit was expected, but the real shock was the price.

A bottle will cost approximately $260. For that price, I would expect a lot more flavor that I could detect and enjoy as I sipped my dram. As I say, if you like it, drink it, but, for me this whisky is not something I could enjoy and I would not pay this price for a bottle this strong.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

The Toki Cocktail Series # 1 – The Old Fashioned

September 25, 2024 NYC

Toki is produced by Suntory and is a blend of their Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita whiskey’s. It is a clean tasting whiskey, but does not have any real complexity or interesting flavor profile. I find it a little boring and too rough to drink neat or on the rocks. In my opinion, Suntory created this as a cocktail mixer so I thought I would put it to the test with a series of Toki Cocktails.

Toki Cocktail Series #1 – The Old Fashioned

2.0 oz Toki Whiskey
¼ part Honey Syrup
Grapefruit Bitters
Slice of Grapefruit

Well, this tasted like absolute fucking dog shit. I will admit, I did not have grapefruit bitters because I was not going to spend $20 bottle on bitters for one cocktail. I substituted half orange and half regular bitters, but that was not the main problem. The grapefruit did not help either due to the bitterness of grapefruit. Toki’s flavor profile does not work for me when I am used to high proof rye or bourbon Old Fashioneds. I do not recommend this Toki cocktail.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

2 Whisky Bars to visit in NYC

September 19, 2024 NYC

In New York City, there is no shortage of places to enjoy whisky, however, your mood or need may require a bar with a certain vibe. If you are looking for a good selection of whisky, but you may need the bar for different social reasons I have two recommendations. In addition, all three locations do whisky tasting and classes. Prices range from free to “Holy shit! How much?”

The Flatiron Room, Flatiron Neighborhood

www.theflatironroom.com

Style: Romantic

Location: 37 West 26^th Street (Broadway & 26^th)

A high ceiling space with wooden tables and chairs with an old school lounge type of vibe. The walls are cabinets full of whisky and a moveable ladder for the bartenders to retrieve purchased or stored customer bottles. There is a light food menu available but the focus is the whisky menu. There are around a 1,000 (+/-) bottles on the menu so there is something for everyone. Reservations are strongly recommend as the bar space is very small with limited seating and no television. Several nights a week, there is live music lounge/jazz music.

The Flatiron Room is the type of place you take a date to for drinks or after a nice dinner. A group of friends works fine too, but I find it more a table for two type of place.

The Brandy Library, Tribeca Neighborhood

www.brandylibrary.com

Style: Business

Location: 25 North Moore Street (North Moore St & Varick St)

Wall Street is the first thing I think of every time I walk in the door, but not in the douche bag coked up asshole type of way. A long wooden bar, soft lighting, leather cushioned seats, and cocktail tables set a comfortable business tone. The space is very clean and the staff is well dressed and professional. The walls are shelved and full of all the bottles on the thick leather bound menu. Small bites of food are available and there is not television at the bar. An added bonus is the small outside seating where you can smoke a cigar and enjoy your drink.

The Brandy Library is a good place for drinks with friends, happy hour, or date. Prices are fair but not cheap as you are in a trendy area. I have been recently with a few friends from out of town and they really enjoyed it.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Davidoff Aniversario Entreacto

September 18, 2024 Cigars

Name: Davidoff Aniversario Entreacto

Size/Gauge: 3.5” / 43

Wrapper: Ecuador & Nicaragua

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican Republic

Davidoff Aniversario Entreacto is the smallest of the cigars in the box set at 3-1/2” inches. It has sweeter notes and a light nutty flavor. It reminds me of the Signature 2000. Entreacto has a very light and clean draw, but the flavor profile is too light and the time length of smoke is too short. It would make for a quick after dinner cigar or smoke on the golf course. This cigar was the last one of the box set and even though I did not like all of the cigars in the set, I do highly recommend the box set to try the various cigars Davidoff has to offer.

Priced around $13 per cigar and not worth it for my preferred taste, but the box set is worth it at around $200.

If you like it, drink it (or smoke it)! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Dead Rabbit (Bar) Grocery & Grog (& Whiskey)

September 12, 2024 NYC

Name: The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog (& Whiskey)

Location: 30 Water Street, New York, NY

Hours: Monday thru Sunday, 11:00am-4:00am

Style: Pub/Cocktail

The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog in New York, NY has been voted the worlds best bar in 2015 and 2016. They also won Best Bar in North America in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Named after the gang from back in the day in NYC and the name of how an illegal bar (aka grocery) was advertised the Dead Rabbit now has its own whiskey.

As far as all the awards and titles go; I have been in bars that do not have awards that are fantastic and others that are top rated and are shit. It is the owner and the bartender that make the place not the title.

The Dead Rabbit has 3 bars on 2 levels and is a hybrid between a pub and cocktail bar. It is a good place to take a rest when touring downtown or after getting off the tour boats and ferries at the waterfront. Here is my quick review of Dead Rabbit Whiskey:

Name: The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey

Color: Gold

Nose: Vanilla, orange, citrus cream

Taste: Cream, vanilla, white pepper

Review:

Basic blended Irish Whiskey supplied by major distillery. Reminds me of a softer Proper 12 but, a bit flat in flavor profile. Whiskey is priced around $45 a bottle or $13 per 2oz pour. Same price as the Famous Grouse so that should tell you something. It was served to me in mini snifter glass. That drives me absolutely bat-shit crazy when I get whiskey in cognac glass. It’s a personal thing. Whiskey goes in whiskey glass.

There was a fire a while back and the bar has undergone some rebuilding. The rebuilt area on the first floor is nice and cozy and still has that new wood smell. The upstairs area small with a few tables and a small bar. There are no televisions so do not go to watch a game. The Irish Whiskey selection is the largest selection on the menu but there is plenty of Bourbon, Scotch and International Whiskeys.

“If you like it, drink it!“ – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

McSorley’s Old Ale House

September 11, 2024 NYC

McSorley’s Old Ale House is located in the East Village in Manhattan, was established in 1854, and is said to be the oldest operating bar in NYC. To be a fly on the wall here to see 170 years of people coming and going would have been fascinating. From Presidents drinking, the start and end of Prohibition, to women not allowed to enter until 1970, this place has some history. I recommend you read up on it.

McSorley’s serves only one type of drink which is beer. You can have either a light ale beer or dark porter beer and bother are severed in two smaller mugs. The food menu is limited, and I have tried it but I do not go to McSorley’s to eat. There are no reservations, and it can get very busy, so I recommend you visit in midafternoon.

As the Autumn approaches and the bar hopping scene ramps up and we get more friends visiting in NYC, I always make a point to take people to McSorley’s. Everyone I have taken to this bar has enjoyed the experience, even St. Matthew pictured below!

Location: East Village, NYC: 15^th East 7^th Street (3^rd Ave & 7^th St)
Hours: Monday to Saturday 11am-1am & Sunday 12pm-1am
Children Allowed: No kids after 6:00pm
Payment: Cash Only
Reservations: None

McSorley’s is a historic landmark bar in NYC and worth a visit for a round of beers.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

Jura Seven Wood – 2019 Review

Jura Seven Wood – Revisited Review (2024 vs 2019)

Jura Journey

Jura 18

Chichibu On the Way (Cask Strength)

The Toki Cocktail Series # 1 – The Old Fashioned

2 Whisky Bars to visit in NYC

Davidoff Aniversario Entreacto

Dead Rabbit (Bar) Grocery & Grog (& Whiskey)

McSorley’s Old Ale House

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