This cocktail bar has one of the best views in Edinburgh
My first visit to the bar was actually for Burns Night two years ago when I discovered it through an event they were hosting alongside the Bacardi portfolio Scotch whisky brands: Craigellachie, Aberfeldy and Royal Brackla.
The selected drams were paired with different small plates, and it was a lovely way to spend Burns Night. Perhaps not your traditional Burns Night celebration with tartan and haggis, but a great chance to showcase scotch whisky in a modern and fun way.
João's Place is continuing their celebration of flavour by pairing food and drinks together as they are just launching their "Taste of João's" menu which includes an aperitivo cocktail and six different dishes where the Brazilian and Japanese influences are combined.
Guests also have the option of adding on a drinks package of either paired wines or cocktails. It is definitely bound to be a great night out for those seeking something new and a bit different from their food and drinks.
There always seems to be something fun and a bit different to be found on the menu. On this most recent visit, I tried a cocktail that combined the flavours of mint, cinnamon and pineapple, which certainly was unlike anything I have ever tried before, but it had such a refreshing and invigorating taste.
Elsewhere, a fun feature on the menu is the "design your own highball" section, which involves picking your Japanese spirit - whisky, gin or vodka -, your season and your mixer.
I am definitely coming back to João's Place just to try this out as I'm a big fan of highballs, and especially in the warmer months of the year. I think it is going to be the Japanese whisky paired with the autumn flavours of jasmine, plum and apricot with tonic water for me, but if I am in a different mood, I will let that decide my choices in the moment.
If you fancy a small bite with your drinks, there are sushi plates available on the menu from Sushisamba, which is located on the same floor. I can tell you from personal research that sushi goes incredibly well with whisky, but I might be slightly biased, considering these are two of my top favourites in the food and drink world.
My whisky of the week is Nikka Coffey Malt, which was one of the very first whiskies I tried from a Japanese whisky company. This whisky is made from 100% malted barley but has been distilled through a Coffey still.
This might be the whisky I need to thank for my interest in grain whisky, but compared to many of the single grains I have tried from Scotland, the Coffey Malt has a lovely mix of spices like cloves and cinnamon, rather than a vanilla ice cream note. The spices are balanced out with a soft grassiness and elegant sandalwood.
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