Feis Ile Special, today Jura


June 6, 2023

Many Islay, in celebration of Feis Ile 2023 and of the Queen of the Hebrides

Feis Ile Special, today Jura

Because during the festival, Jura belongs to Islay. It used to, at least, not too sure that's still on… But let's see what we have, as we've been tasting a lot of Jura within the last months…

(Advert for Jura's Open Day, 2002. I seem to remember we were there. Some now say that's more like 6,000 to 7,000 deer, stags and hinds.)

Jura 'Rum Cask Finish' (40%, OB, +/-2023)

They all do that these days, rum, red wine, ruby Port and whatnot, it's as if they're all losing trust in their original, natural malt whiskies. What's happening? So here's a new job idea: psychoanalyst for Scottish distillers. Colour: gold. Nose: in fact it's nicely round, unoffensive, pretty gently malty, with little Juraness and rather some maple syrup and indeed some sweet rum, a touch of pineapple liqueur, vanillin, apple liqueur, three sultanas and a little coconut water. Pleasant, but not much Distillery character left – but I suppose that was the idea in the first place. Mouth: exactly as it was on the nose, sweet, mellow, with touches of vanilla, apricots, pineapples, coconut and bananas. Almost some readymade pina colada. Finish: rather short, but fresh and pleasant. More coconut, papaya… Comments: possibly malt whisky for good folks who do not enjoy malt whisky. I'm absolutely not against this.
SGP:641 - 80 points.

And there, of course, the now obligatory…

Jura 'Red Wine Cask Finish' (40%, OB, +/-2023)

It's all becoming a little depressing, is it not, doctor? … Colour: darker gold. Nose: a little toffee, raisins, rather PX, panettone, and almost no red berries that I could detect. This one too is not unpleasant. As we used to say, it'll probably go down like Franz Klammer. Mouth: there, some strawberry and raspberry jams, plus more raisins and a grassier side in the background. In my experience, rum would tend to mingle with the whisky, whereas red wine would rather fight it. Not my favourite Jura ever, that's for sure. Finish: short and leafier. Rooibos tea in the aftertaste. Comments: I think it's pretty okay, but forgettable. Forget what?
SGP:651 - 76 points.

No ruby Port, I think we'll rather need the indies…

Jura 15 yo 2006/2022 (55.7%, The Stillman's Friendship Bottling, bourbon, 168 bottles)

Direkt aus der Schweiz! But it is not stemming from the Swiss part of the Jura mountains, mind you, it is well malt whisky from the Jura distillery on the Isle of Jura. Colour: white wine. Nose: there, proper Jura, with some porridge, soot, leather, buttercream, a touch of mustard, a hint of curry, turnips again, and then various beers, weissbeer, ales, gueuze… And marmalade! With water: some sweeter paprika sauce, some kind of fruitier goulash, and many wildflowers, woodruff, mullein, gorse… That's very lovely. Mouth (neat): sweeter and more citrusy, but also pretty peppery, always a little sooty and leathery, rather full of zests, oatcakes, leaves (bay leaf) and, well, Jura. Jura ought to be a wee bit dirty(ish) or it is not totally Jura in our book. It's like sister distillery Fettercairn in that respect. With water: a little mustardy, which is epitomically Jura-y. Also some sour cherries, perhaps swede… Finish: rather long, getting drier, spicier, with even touches of pine resin beyond some obvious peppers. That's very Jura too. Sweeter citrus in the aftertaste. Comments: totally love this slightly cerebral whisky but between us, I perfectly understand why the owners would not try to churn out millions of bottles of this core style.
SGP:462 - 88 points.

Check the index of all Jura we've tasted so far