Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. A spicy finish with allspice, pepper and a touch of honey. Melted white chocolate, toasted walnut, sugared almonds, gingersnap biscuits, marzipan. Gingerbread, buttery caramel digestive biscuits and tropical fruit, namely banana. This whisky is matured in American white oak ex bourbon barrels, then finished in hand-selected virgin American white oak casks. Unlike the high number of distilleries on its southern neighbor, Islay, the Isle of Jura distillery is the only whisky producer on the island and (also in contrast to the generally smoky, peaty whiskies of the former) produces a subtle, unpeated single malt in a variety of expressions. The distillery is now owned by Whyte and Mackay. The distillery was founded in 1962 by local landowners Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith with the aim of producing lighter whiskies for blending by larger operators. Incidentally, I also brought over a Glendronach 21-Year-Old Parliament for Bob to try, and he just loved that one.Jura distillery is a Scottish single malt whisky producer based on the island of Jura, just north of Islay, in the Inner Hebrides chain of western Scottish Islands. He’s replenished his liquor cabinet many times, and it’s safe to say that he is a creature of habit when it comes to the bottles he tends to purchase. To offer a sense of perspective, Bob is used to drinking Benromach 10-Year-Old, Benromach 100, Glenfarclas 105, Old Pulteney 17-Year-Old, and Linkwood 15-Year-Old. That helped me to gauge what a relative newbie, with the benefit of some helpful guidance over the past year (mine), would think of the Isle of Jura 21-Year-Old. Bob (my friend) has been drinking good, mid-level Scotches for the past year or two, and he wasn’t overly impressed. I brought my bottle over to a friend’s house. In and of itself, this would not usually be a problem however, it’s worth pointing out that the sweeter notes also become a bit cloying, as sometimes happens when E150a is used.ĭespite the above considerations, this whisky seems accessible enough for someone who isn’t overly particular about the craft side of distilling. Unfortunately, a few drops of water tend to accentuate the oak tannins–which, in turn, causes the spirit to taste more bitter. Because of this fact, I will go out on a limb and infer, through a feat of Sherlock Holmes-style deductive reasoning, that the whisky is not chill filtered. The addition of water does seem to create a bit of “Scotch mist” in the glass. This particular detail is usually difficult to confirm with distilleries that use caramel coloring to “brighten the corners” of what might otherwise be a fairly dull looking whisky. One thing I will say with some measure of confidence is that my taste buds can usually detect the substance, even though it is supposed to be flavorless. I can’t be sure the culprit is in here, or not, but I suspect a little might be–in fairly low amounts. While tasting Isle of Jura 21-Year-Old, I am reminded of artificial caramel flavor (E150a). At the death, a phantom note of sweetness makes a come-back, revealing a bit of marshmallow nougat. Palate: Rhubarb, with other stewed fruits dry roasted peanut cardamom, saffron vanilla, and more toffee.įinish: Medium finish that finally reveals a bit of oak tannins, with a slightly bitter downturn. Nose: Marshmallow nougat toffee honey malted milk balls wheat grass juice cashew butter. Vital Stats: 44% ABV (88 proof) aged 21 years 100% malted barley price ranges from $135-$170. It’s sweet, creamy, slightly oaky, and thus appeals to a wide range of preferences. Call this whisky “domesticated,” if you wish. The bottle itself has a feminine, curvy appearance, which even tapers in at the “waist.” In fact, it reminds me a little of a prehistoric fertility goddess.Īlthough Jura offers a few peated options in its core line-up, which culminate in Prophecy–a non-chill filtered, heavily peated whisky–the Jura 21 year-old is a different sort of animal. A black and white picture of the distillery is visible though a window on the lid, adding a vintage look. It’s undeniable that the ABV percentage is the same (44%), and today’s packaging is also quite innovative, with a removable buckling top that pulls up to reveal a black multi-tiered stand for the whisky bottle to perch upon. On the box of its Jura 21-Year-Old offering, the distillery claims that the whisky embraces “many characteristics” of the 200th anniversary commemorative bottling. The precise age of the barrel held a special significance because it was the year that Jura distillery was rebuilt. In 2010, Jura distillery released a 200 Year Anniversary special 21-Year-Old bottling that was finished in a Gonzalez Byass Oloroso Sherry cask from 1963. Jura 30-Year-Old won Best Islands Single Malt, as well as Best Islands Single Malt Over 21 Years, at the 2016 World Whiskies Awards.
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