f4f3 | Whisky Tasting: It's a family affair

Terrific tasting last night, at Whyte and Mackay's headquarters in Glasgow. I'd been there before, for an interesting vertical tasting of the Whyte and Mackay blend, but this was to sample the Isle of Jura range, and it was run by Willie Tate, who worked there for around 30 years, and who looks as if he's successfully mastered the art of replacing his bloodstream with good island malt - I've never seen anyone so happy in his chosen career, or as full of love for the product. I'll say more about each whisky in a moment, but the absolute highlight of the night was doing the tasting with Willie. Stories were shared as if with an old friend, and knowledge about his craft just dropped out naturally. I consider myself a whisky fan, but I was in the presence of a master.

Whiskies sampled:

Jura 10 year old: Willie spoke about Jura whisky as being a family, and the new make as being the parent. Each of the expressions released need to have the characteristics of that clear spirit or, as he said, you risk forgetting who you are. So the 10 year old is probably the closest you get to that original. Light, flowery, a wee bit of pepper when you add water. Easy drinking any time, maybe pre-dinner. I'd even take it with some ice on a summer day.

Jura 16: an absolute star - as complex as a speyside, but slightly salty to go with the gorse bushes. Willie describes it as coconutty, I though more vanilla. Absolutely fantastic dram,

Superstition: an easy introduction to peat. Light enough that the peat stays in the glass, it doesn't come clawing its way up your nose, it tickles it. I've had a bottle of this on the go since the first edition, and it's a lovely sunset malt.

Prophesy: A limited edition, heavily peated. In theory this is a throwback to the pre-1960's malt, which was reported to be as peaty as anything from Isla. I'd put this around Ardbeg level, but where Ardbeg leaves smoke on the palate, this left me, finally, with that same flowery taste. Flowers dipped in iodine maybe, but flowers never the less.

These four are the core range, and in terms of sales and price they probably go 10, Superstition, 16 and Prophesy. Prices, if you keep an eye on the supermarkets, around £21, £25, £35 and £45.

Also up for tasting were three bottlings that will be released at the Isle of Jura Whisky Festival later this month. These are all at cask strength, two of them distilled in 1995, one in 1999.

Of the three, the first was a more complex version of the 16 - clean and dry, and good with a little water. I respected it, but I didn't love it. The second, the 1995 from sherry casks, finished in bourbon, was a superstar. I've never tasted anything like it from an island. It was probably closer to an old Highland Park than an Islay, and if I could have smuggled out one bottle, this would be the one. The last surprise was from the 1999, peated, floral and very moreish. Another sunset malt, I think.

I have to say, this was a great evening, a tasting made special by the malts, and most of all by the man - thanks to all concerned in setting it up.