Renowned former master distiller Willie Tait will conduct a special complimentary tasting of Isle of Jura single malt scotches at the EaDo (East Downtown District) whiskey bar Reserve 101 on Thursday, August 11, at 6:30 p.m. Reserve 101 moved its usual Tuesday tasting to Thursday to accommodate the Malt Advocate Magazine lifetime achievement award winner’s schedule.

The tasting will feature three Isle of Jura single malt scotches: Superstition, named for the fabled superstitions of the Hebridean island people and containing subtle hints of spice, honey, pine and peat; Prophesy single malt scotch, a peaty spirit with a smoky cinnamon and sea-spray flavor; and the distillery’s 16-year-old single malt, with flavors of peach, honey, citrus, ginger and marzipan.

Registrations for the Tait-led tasting may be made online at http://reserve101.com/whiskey-tastings-houston.

The whiskey dates to the early 1800s, when Laird Archibald Campbell built a distillery near a cave that had been producing illegal spirits since the 1600s on the island located in the Inner Hebrides chain off Scotland’s west coast.  It passed through a number of owners until the early 1900s when a dispute with then-Laird Colin Campbell led to its dismantling.  The distillery was revived as an Isle of Jura jobs program in 1963, employing a quarter of the island’s male workforce to produce a new Scotch that was decidedly less peaty (flavored by smoke from peat fires) than the original.

Reserve 101 is located in the heart of Houston’s EaDo entertainment district at the corner of Caroline and Dallas, next to Dirt Bar and across the street from House of Blues.  The bar features over 180 fine whiskeys—the largest selection in the Southwest—plus other spirits, beer and wine.  The establishment is known for its Signature Cocktails and infusions—organic material steeped in liquor.

“Happy Hour,” with dollar-off beers and wines and half-price signature cocktails runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday with specials just about every day of the week, including Sundays.

More information about Reserve 101 and whiskeys is available by contacting This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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