Isle Of Jura 20 yo 1975/1996 (43%, Signatory Vintage, casks #2771-2773, 580 bottles)
Colour: buttery white wine. Nose: a very pleasing and nicely bright fruity waxiness. Lots of white stone fruits, white flowers, beach pebbles, coastal flowers and with time some very gentle and lovely tropical notes. I find this nose extremely natural and charming. Mouth: nice arrival, leaning more towards the austere side, still dominated by waxes and olive oil, but bringing in some more flints, clay, wee lactic inclusions, bone marrow and chalky mineral notes. Dry, peppery and less fruity than the nose suggested, but with a wonderfully chiselled and nicely mineral / waxy profile that unmistakeable makes you think of top class dry white chenin blanc. Finish: medium and rather peppery, with watercress, mustard seed and a slightly starchy and cereal vibe emerging in the aftertaste. Comments: you have to like this slightly more austere, un-sexy, dry style, but I love the quiet charm and charisma of this one. With a less interesting distillate it could go the other way, but as it is.
SGP: 461 - 88 points.

Isle Of Jura 34 yo 1989/2023 (45.9%, Thompson Brothers, refill hogshead, 200 bottles)
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: very herbal and vegetal at first nosing, really on things like roast turnip with sea salt, artichoke in olive oil, verbena and herbal bitters. Unusual but hugely charismatic, goes on with things like ink, tea tree oil and a rather floral waxiness. Mouth: impeccably bone dry and dominated by mechanical oils, plain cereals, more impressions of roasted root vegetables, white pepper and a rather brittle, chalky mineral note. The kind of funny but very charming whisky that not many other distilleries than Jura seem able to produce. Finish: rather long and getting more salty with caraway and toasted fennel seed, some umami broth, Maggi and more various assorted bitters. Comments: you have to really be into this rather extreme, obscure and austere style of whisky. Probably more challenging than your average Octomore in many ways as it's highly intellectual and off the beaten path. Personally, I really like this, although I can see how if your preferred tipple is Claret finished Speyburn you might opine otherwise…
SGP: 361 - 87 points.

Isle Of Jura 20 yo 1972 (54%, OB, 261 bottles, +/-1992)
A rather obscure official single cask. I'm fond of Jura from this era so reasonable hopes here… Colour: straw. Nose: rather austere, chalky and coastal to begin, although that is also balanced by rather a lot of beers, breads and cereals too, a little mashy in fact. I also get a funny mix of yoghurt and wax, which isn't unpleasant but feels appropriately 'Jura!'. With water: sandalwood, wet rocks, beach foam, crushed parsley and grass. Feels younger than it is and very dominated by raw ingredients. Mouth: good arrival, but perhaps a tad tough and a little austere. This kind of slightly gravelly mineral vibe, granitic and slightly sharp. Not without charms though, as there's grapefruit and lemon peel peeping round the corner too. Still this slightly lactic and waxy combination on display. With water: crushed aspirin, a chalky quality once again, plain cereals, mash water and dried flowers. A little peppery and dryly waxy again. Finish: medium and on cereals, beers and dried flowers again. Comments: not the easiest I have to say. There's attractive parts to it, but globally I find its austerity a little tough, even though it remains rather charismatic in some regards. The previous two had enough verve or fruit to balance those austere aspects, but this one doesn't quite hold up. Now, other folk seem to rate this one quite a bit higher, so it could be me…
SGP: 361 - 85 points.

Isle Of Jura 1972/1991 (54%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #31.3)
Colour: pale straw. Nose: very similar, I suppose they are likely pretty close in production. Again on this austere, gently coastal, slightly oily and slightly chalky profile. There's also this vegetal aspect underneath as well and various mashed grains and cereals and beery vibes. I like it, it just feels like it could do with a bit of fruitiness to balance things out. With water: rather elegantly on sandalwood, gorse flower and grassy rapeseed oil. Gains a little more aromatic finesse with water I'd say. Mouth: again a nicely salty, sharp and quite precise arrival, thankfully with a little more white and orchard fruits on display, things like sharp green apple and gooseberry. With water: nicely textural, peppery, waxy and mineral, the fruit steps back a bit but there's a lovely quite sharp coastal theme going on which is pleasing. Finish: medium, a little salty, a little peppery, still some waxy and grassy hints. Comments: same slightly frustrated feeling, it just feels like these batches are missing that touch of fruit or more assertive waxiness that elevated the first two. Still, it's nice to see that there's quite a consistent global profile between all four. This one is perhaps one notch better than the official I'd say.
SGP: 361 - 86 points.