If you’re new here, welcome to Two Drams A Day! Each article is a personal journey where I pair two whiskies, often Scotch single malts among others, to discover the subtle differences that make each one unique and special. My approach is hands-on and intimate: I taste these whiskies side-by-side and share my real-time observations, from unexpected delights to the occasional letdowns. In the end, I choose a favourite, and along the way, I hope to learn something new and share that knowledge with you. If you’re curious about the nuanced and fascinating world of whisky and enjoy a personal touch in your reading, you’re in the right place. Stick around, subscribe, and join me on this flavorful adventure, two drams at a time!

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Today, I am picking out two bottles from my personal collection because I’m curious to see which one I will actually like more. I used to absolutely adore my Jura, with its pinnacle [or what I thought was the pinnacle many years ago] being the 18-year-old expression. But as I got deeper into whiskies and understood the damage of chill-filtration, the added colouring, and the unnecessary dilution to a lower ABV, I started to turn up my nose to it a bit. Throughout my journey, I also started to dislike wine-finished whiskies – something about the tannins, the ripe “spoiled grape” aftertaste, and the dry aftertaste just didn’t work out for me. That being said, there were many wine-cask-aged whiskies that I did enjoy very much. And look at this – the famous 18-year-old Jura was “enriched by the finest red casks“. We’ll see how I get on. This past month, I was also blown away by what the anCnoc 18-year-old could bring on its own [I haven’t reviewed it here yet, but I have been sipping it on the side]. I found this 12-year-old in my Cask Explorer‘s Advent Calendar and paired it with The Balvenie here. So, yes, I’m looking forward to this one and see which one takes the prize. So let’s get to it, but first, we need music! Now playing: Hauschka – Philanthropy.

Nestled on the remote Isle of Jura, the only distillery on the island is the pride and joy of its 200 inhabitants (a human population that is only exceeded by those of the deer). Albeit it’s only a quick ferry ride from Islay’s Port Askaig, Jura is not a peated single malt and tends to be deep, rich, and complex, with a sprinkle of those maritime notes. That being said, when I visited the distillery about two years ago, I did pick up a bottle of their gorgeous, slightly peated whisky. When I first opened up this bottle of 18-year-old Jura, it had a bit of “bottle funk“. I’ve let it air out a bit in the last month, but I still can smell a little bit of that “red wine or something” on the nose. It’s not that bad at all – it’s just not what I expect from finding in my whisky. At 44% ABV, this Jura goes down easy. It’s also not as viscous as the un-chill-filtered versions – a little dry and thin but full of stewed plums, sweet raisins, and a bit of chocolate and toffee. There may be just a hint of smoke somewhere on the edge, but it’s not peat and more like a whiff of a cigarette [not in a bad way]. Whereas the Jura comes from American white oak ex-bourbon barrels with that red wine finish, the anCnoc is a vatting of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry [not sure which kind] casks. The anCnoc is less pungent on the nose but more flavourful on the tongue, perhaps with much of its profile still locked away by the alcohol. Let’s add just a tiny drop of water to both to see how they hold up. Also, before I forget, I started to suspect that there are definitely older whiskies in the anCnoc, with the 18-year-old stated on the label being the youngest single malt. I can’t say the same for the Jura, which is a bit more mass-produced than this anCnoc.

Knockdhu distillery’s anCnoc (pronounced “a-nock” as the label clearly instructs you, for those of us who do not speak Gaelic) is somewhat new to me, and I have only recently discovered their 12-year-old single malt thanks to my Advent Calendar journey. I immediately went out and grabbed a bottle of the 18-year-old, and haven’t been disappointed since then. The distillery dates back to 1893, when it was founded by John Morrison in the Highlands of Scotland near the village of Knock. In 1983, the distillery was closed and then subsequently sold to Inver House Distillers in 1988. In 1994, the whisky was renamed to anCnock, which means “the hill”, to avoid confusion with another distillery named Knockando. Now, let’s go back to our tasting. With water, the Jura opened up a bit, and now the sweet toffee, caramel, and honey notes are beautifully represented in its well-balanced profile. It’s just a lovely dram, and finally, I recollect the memories of loving it for years. The anCnoc retorts. It’s got a darker, slightly bitter-sweet profile, but it’s absolutely great like maraschino cherries dipped in chocolate mixed with light smoke from a cigar. It’s serious about its wisdom, making me want to peel apart the hidden truth (what else is in there?). The finish here is longer, and now the oiliness is clearly displayed in this unfiltered presentation at a higher ABV. It’s just a rounder and well-made single malt, whereas the Jura feels a little rushed and pre-assembled. The Jura brings with it the knowledge and the consistency of the profile I have always loved, but the anCnoc pokes with curiosity and something else mysterious, ready to take on the bigger boys with its exciting punch. I feel like it could even now compete with the Macallan – for that, I’d have to find a dram of the 18-year-old so I can taste it side-by-side.

Distillery / Region	Jura / Island	Knockdhu / Highlands
Bottler / Series	Distillery bottling / core range	Distillery bottling / core range
Stated Age / Vintage	18 years old / non-vintage	18 years old / non-vintage
Cask type	American white oak ex-bourbon + red wine finish	Ex-bourbon & ex-sherry
ABV / Cask Strength	44% / No	46% / No
Non-chill filtered/ Uncoloured	No / No	Yes / Yes 🌟
Price	£75	£75
Did it win? / Did I like it?	No / Yes – I still do	Yes / Yes!
Would I buy it? / Recommend it?	Yes / Yes – this Jura 18 is a classic	Yes / Yes – you have to find this one!

So there you have it, folks, another excellent tasting. I am indeed surprised by my conclusion. I’m also a bit surprised by the price. The Jura 18-year-old is a pretty standard affair, which you can find pretty much anywhere for just £75 (on Amazon UK, it’s £66). The anCnoc 18-year-old is also sold for about £75 (surprisingly, on Amazon, it’s more). And I just feel like I am getting more with this hand-crafted whisky. I definitely would like to compare it to the same-aged Highland Park (which, by the way, went up in price to £135 now). But for now, I will pause here and proclaim the anCnoc 18-year-old as the winner of this round. Thank you, and good night!