Isle of Jura Superstition
Ju a Try
1 1182
Review by @RianC
- Nose~
- Taste~
- Finish~
- Balance~
- Overall82
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Distribution of ratings for this:
- Brand: Isle of Jura
- Type: Scotch
- Region: Island
- ABV: 43%
This is my first encounter with any Jura which, when I think about it, is a bit surprising: As kids we had quite a few holidays on the west coast of Scotland and my Dad was a keen fisherman back then, so we used to spend lots of time on the coast or Island hopping. One of the Islands I remember visiting was Jura and a memory of seagulls stealing my fish and chips looms heavy still (the bugger!). That aside, that whole area has fond memories for me and so it seems odd I've never been drawn towards their whisky. Perhaps there's a good reason? We shall see . . .
This is from a bottle about half full and been open around a month. I've added a few drops of water to this 30 ml pour (qtr tsp)
Nose: A very heady creamy malt note that that carries a distinct peatyness. More earthy peat than coastal per se but there is some salt present also. A tangible sherry influence; raisins, very dry figs. There's something sweet like marzipan and, along with the creamy note, an unusual nuttyness - like roasted hazelnuts or a ground nut paste made from them. Unusual in that I've not come across this particular smell before.
There's also a faint but detectable alcohol nip, which could be from the younger juice that's most definitely in here. This is where the water helps a lot to tone this aspect down.
Taste: Nut paste, more fresh red fruits than dry like on the nose but some of the latter, salty peat. Bit of a let down after the nose but OK. This may sound odd but if you ever smell a bag of dry pearl barley, there's a taste of that in here. Quite unusual. It develops quite nicely actually and a hint of that creamy malt comes in.
Finish: Slightly over 'tannined' if I can say that. Makes me think of old tired casks (a similar experience to my last Bushmills Black Bush); the water helps this also, and time. Short to medium with a general sour/bitterness.
So, not mind-blowing but not a complete disaster either. I feel there's a good and unique malt in here somewhere but it needs a better presentation and some better casks imo to really shine. In summary, lots to like but a bit too much’ meh’. Not one I’d be seeking out but would happily drink it or have as another gift!
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@RianC I think you are being generous at 82 points. I found it thin and non-descript and worth about 75 points. But that's just me, and I find the older I get the more I need big flavours to stimulate my old taste buds. This is in the same category as Bowmore 12 for me.