Isle of Jura OB vs. IB


May 6, 2025

WF’s Little Duos, today Isle of Jura
OB vs. IB

(Visit Scotland)

Feis Ile on Islay is coming up soon, and Jura is part of it!

Jura 'Islander's Expression No.3 Cabernet Sauvignon cask' (40%, OB, 2024)

Ex-bourbon with a 'finishing' in red wine? Honestly, what is it with them and red wine these days? It's getting a tad embarrassing. Of course, red wine casks have long existed in Scotland, but they were usually humble transport casks, not posh 'château' wood, and were typically vatted or watered down with the rest. Colour: gold. Good news, it's not salmon pink. Nose: alright, this has been handled with a degree of tact. The raspberries and blackcurrants are decently buried beneath toffee sauce, barley syrup and a spoonful of orange marmalade. In truth, there’s more Cabernet Sauvignon on the label than in the dram. Ahem. A few salty coastal whiffs. Mouth: the wine’s more apparent now, taking us down the cherry clafoutis route, with some tired oak notes that jar a little, though to be fair, it's not unpleasant. Roasted apricot with a whisper of salt. Finish: not quite as short as the modest ABV might suggest, and the salinity does pull it back together somewhat. Comments: all in all, not bad at all.
SGP:631- 79 points.

The Scots do seem to be continually improving their wine cask finishes — one might imagine they’re gearing up to become winemakers, once global warming has further intensified its impact on the mainland and its islands. Seriously, I still clearly preferred No.1 (Barbados rum – naturally) and No.2 (ale cask). I think that with exceptions, there may need to be a relationship between the whisky and the cask’s previous contents, either the raw material (like ale), or it was a spirit (such as rum), or it was a fortified wine truly matured - not just made and kept for a short time - in oak (like sherry, etc.). Just a wild theory! Let's move on...

Isle of Jura 2009/2024 (50.1%, Caora, No.13, refill barrel, cask #90103514)

A most soothing label amidst the current avalanche of AI-generated oddities. Thank you, Caora. Colour: straw. Nose: classic Jura on display here, with natural oils—sunflower, sesame, peanuts—alongside hints of engine oil, modelling clay and the gentlest of sea breezes. With water: the bare minimum of vanilla, the rest remains unchanged and we're not complaining. Mouth (neat): very good indeed, properly coastal with a saline profile, notes of green banana and a flicker of yellow curry. With water: similar, with a fairly discernible touch of peat showing through. A gentle, rather stylish mustardy edge emerges in the background. Finish: medium length, fresh and coastal, with faint soot and ashes. Comments: excellent Jura—and hats off again for the restful label.
SGP:552 - 88 points.

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