Back to the Isle of Jura


May 10, 2022

Back to the Isle of Jura
I promise we won't quote George Orwell (well, you just did, S.)
Some excellent melon à queue rouge from the eponymous Jura region of France, highly recommended!

Jura 'French Oak' (42%, OB, Special Woods Series', +/-2020)

A humble NAS that is, as I understand it, an ex-bourbon Jura finished in French oak. Colour: gold. Nose: typical 'Madeira-like' Jura plus some caraway-y spices and green walnuts. I'm rather fond of this profile, but I also know that the devil is on the palate with such set-ups. Mouth: some dissonances indeed. Yoghurt, cinnamon, walnuts, sour fruits, mustard, a clear dusty side, a wee feinty aspect (not unusual)… Some cardamom seeds as well. Finish: medium, rather on grapefruits and white pepper. Comments: some dissonances on the palate, in my opinion, but some sides are clearly interesting and even good. Nice nose.
SGP:361 - 78 points.

Jura 10 yo (40%, OB, +/-2021)

We rather liked this one last time in 2018, with its fino-y, mustardy Juraness. Colour: dark straw. Nose: not the same floor, so to speak. It does not look like Jura's make needs more spices. Very nice whiffs of fresh almonds and walnuts, certainly some fino and/or manzanilla, a wee sooty side, perhaps some cider apples (let's call them calvados apples if you don't mind), plus a little brine and thyme essence. Pretty fond of this nose. Mouth: Jura's dryness is obvious, but we're certainly in a higher league after that NAS. Salty white wines, tobacco, fino sherry, soft mustard, walnuts… Finish: medium long, on similar notes, with just a little more sweetness. Comments: I have to say it is rather troubling that the whisky of Jura would resemble some wines of Jura (un-ullaged savagnins) more and more. Troubling and charming.
SGP:462 - 84 points.

Jura 12 yo 'The Bay' (44%, OB, 1l, +/-2020)

As I understand it this one spent its whole life in ex-bourbon barrels, and was then flash-finished in - could we have a John-Bonham solo please? – Pedro Ximenez! We're all amazed, I know. Remember, PX is the mayonnaise of whisky. Or perhaps its ketchup. Colour: full gold. Nose: struck matches, gas, burnt eggplants and used fireworks at first (you could call this 'smoke' if you like), then some kinds of rubbery raisins. Mouth: much nicer on the palate, with some sugarcane juice, PX indeed, molasses, jams, crystallised citrus (perhaps bergamots), honey… A thick mouthfeel here, as if there had been 'quite' some PX left in the casks. Finish: rather long, rather nice, with even a feeling of peat as could be seen on the neighbouring island. Or in peated Juras, of course. Comments: just forget about the nose and go straight to the palate. I prefer the 10, having said that.
SGP:652 - 81 points.

Perhaps some older indies…

Jura 30 yo 1990/2021 (47.2%, Artful Dodger, hogshead, cask #9005283)

These batches do have an excellent reputation. Colour: straw. Nose: typically crisp coastal and fino-y nose, subtle, with fresh bitter almonds, manzanilla this time again, fresh butter, beach sand, leaven, mustard and then bitter beers. I've got strictly nothing against this profile; as a matter of fact, I love it. Mouth: it's got all of Jura's lovable flaws, I would say. It is a little feinty, a little soapy, a little sulphury, a little too much on paraffin as well, and yet I find this perfect. How would I put it, do you know the band The Stranglers? They have a bass player, Jean-Jacques Burnell, who's often a tad behind (the anti-Jaco, if you will), which creates a very distinctive, very powerful sound that many people just love. Oh my, I doubt this was the place… Please forgive me. Finish: long, with even more of those lovely 'flaws'. Salt, soap (or saponin), mustard, resins, walnuts, paraffin, sour ale… Comments: long live the small flaws in whisky! They create variety and fun, bravo!
SGP:562 - 88 points.

Jura 30 yo 1990/2020 (46.5%, Sansibar, 10th Anniversary, sherry cask, 246 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: classic. Smoked marshmallows, sour cherries, gueuze, almonds, bone-dry chardonnay, more chardonnay, even more chardonnay… Well I cannot get chardonnay of Jura out of my head now. They have a varietal that's called red-tail melon (melon à queue rouge) which is, indeed, a chardonnay. Wonderful wines, highly recommended. This wee whisky too, by the way. Whiffs of bell pepper and stalk, which works extremely well in this context. Mouth: absolutely splendid. Magnificent chalky citrus, with this faint smoky side, almost basaltic. I think I'll say no more, but you could have this with food. On 'poularde demi-deuil', perhaps? Chez Bocuse or Mère Brazier in Lyons. But once again, this ain't the place, sorry. Finish: long, fat, on some of the most splendid chardonnays. Citrusy aftertaste, which always works. Comments: wow wow wow.
SGP:462 - 91 points.

Ite session est.

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