Despite its position in the Hebrides, isolated off the coast of Scotland, Jura finds itself as one of the best selling single malt scotch whiskies in the game. There are numerous expressions in their core range, as well as many limited edition runs and travel retail editions. Despite the size of its roster, the Jura team have launched a new series of limited releases which “will champion our whisky-making credentials, by showcasing and amplifying our fruity and balanced house style”.
In order to provide us with these insights into their house style, they have aptly called the series “Jura Persepctives”, and we have the first edition here.
As an added incentive to the Jura fanbase and collectors, the packaging of each full size bottle is actually slightly varied and unique to one another, so that no two bottles are the same. Inside, the whisky is the same though, which has spent the majority of its 16 years maturing in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in oloroso sherry casks, with bottles available around £70 GBP each (at the time of writing).
This is a 16 year old single malt, which has been bottled at a higher percentage than their normal offerings (46.5% ABV), and presented as naturally as possible at without any additional colouring or chill-filtration.
Nose
A soft fresh and fruity start. Rich stone fruits and fruit salad sweets (the classic raspberry and pineapple ones!) are the flavours that spring to mind. With a bit of time in the glass there is quite a floral sweetness to it with a familiar bourbon based vanilla note and a final drying nutty and oaky note.
Taste
A very soft texture delivers a combo of fruity dessert flavours. Peach melba. Honeyed fruits. Apricot bites. Orange sorbet. With the oak spice there’s a marmalade on toast sensation too, with both the sweeter parts of the marmalade and the little tangy orange peel flavours in there too. The profile is rounded out with a warming oak spice and tang.
Finish
As the fruity sugars fade away, there’s a tangy rye bread spice that tingle the tonsils.
Verdict
I think that they have totally hit their brief with an amplified elements of the Jura flavours. The earlier entries to their roster sit at the legal minimum of 40% and many feel that they suffer for it.
Despite its higher strength the texture and flavours still come across very softly. The sweet fruits sit really well here with the warmer spices on the finish. It is also worth mentioning that there is no sign of peat being involved here, which I’m sure older Jura expressions used to feature to some level. Without that smoke, there really is an emphasis on a soft palate with sweet and juicy fruity flavours abound.
Is it the 16 years that are bringing the softness and enhancing the fruitiness? Hand on heart, if this was a blind tasting, then I would not have guessed this to be as high as 16 years old maturation just due to how fresh the flavours still seem to be. Nor would I have guessed it was 46% or above either, given how softly it goes down.
Maybe a sign of shaking up the roster or a flex on what they have available, for one of the highest selling single malt scotch businesses out there. For the serious maltheads out there, a side-by-side comparison actually shows that this is what Jura shoulda woulda coulda be capable of, and you’d hope that this richer offering can make its way to becoming a staple entrant in the future.
Overall a pleasant and easy sipper with a bit more bite and things going for it.
M
Sample disclosure: This sample was received as part of the Master of Malt Pour & Sip paid subscription for November. All notes are intended as an honest, fair, and independent review of the whisky, and not as a promotion. Please drink responsibly. Please drink wisely.
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