Since the 2018 relaunch of the main Jura single malts line-up, their “Signature Series” has been gradually expanding. Starting in 2020, that original roster saw a subset of “Cask Editions” being added to their output. This started with the Red Wine Cask Edition, (reviewed here), then the Winter Cask Edition (essentially a Sherry cask finished version), followed by the Rum Cask Edition in 2021, and then more recently the Pale Ale Cask Edition.
Here we are looking at that first entrant to the series, and it is a no age statement edition of Jura’s staple American white oak bourbon cask aged spirit then finished in the titular red wine casks.
Today we celebrate this connection between the land and the spirit with our unique cask editions. Bringing the distinctive regional flavours of selected European wine casks to our island malt, this unique red wine cask edition continues to explore the world of cask finishes in ever more innovative ways. It is a fruity, full-bodied single malt – a special whisky for special moments.
Jura – Red Wine Cask Edition
There is no specific reference as to which particular red wine(s) have been used in the final maturations or the length of maturations, but what we do know is that this is bottled at 40% ABV, with chill-filtration, and with colouring (“Mit Farbstoff”). They are regularly available within UK supermarkets and come in big 1 litre bottles for around £36 RRP.
Nose
It is very sweet and fruity from the off: very marmalade-y oranges, apples, apple blossom, and (bear with me) white grapes (I know it should be red grapes from the red wine and all, but these a very sweet fruity smells!). There’s a slightly tannic, sweet fruit tea aroma too.
Taste
Sweet orange juice and orange pith. Reminds me of the chunks in your marmalade on toast. There’s maybe a few slices of toast on go actually as there is also a raspberry or strawberry jammy sweetness. Those white grapes are now richer, reminiscent of Sun Maid raisins. There are some gentle baking spices which mix with the raisins to make for a toasted tea cake or fruit cake set of flavours: think along the lines of boozy berries and cherries with those warming baking spices of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
Finish
A fizzle of orange boiled sweets and a quite spirity finale.
Verdict
An enjoyable sipper. It’s not gonna set the world on fire, but I reckon that you could find yourself easily going through a bottle fairly quickly. Maybe that’s why they’ve put them in 1 Litre bottles?
On that point: this is definitely aimed at mass market though: the colouring, the percentage, the size of the bottles, the price! They retail around £34-40 per litre, but you don’t have to wait for too long until they appear on sale. The supermarkets (where this bottle can readily be found) usually drop the prices for annual events, such as Father’s Day and Christmas, and, thankfully, I recently saw a load of those discounts around Mother’s Day too.
I quite like the fact that Jura aren’t afraid to mix up their NAS and age statement releases, but sadly, with more and more experience, it does seem to be an indicator of younger spirits when they are NAS, being pulled up by the bootstraps of cask finishing.
Having tasted the first 3 Cask Editions, I have to say that this was my favourite – as is often the way with an original release in a series. It’s sweet. It’s light. It’s not that challenging at all. Ultimately a few bursts of berries have melded into the Jura body of vanilla. It doesn’t live up to the hyperbole of the packaging but it is a soft, swift, and sweet little sipper nonetheless.
M
Sample disclosure: This sample was received as part of a promotional Tweet Tasting event for Whyte & Mackay. All notes here are not intended as promotion but as an honest, fair and independent review of the whisky. Please drink responsibly. Please drink wisely.
whisky unplugged 
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