I was lucky enough to be invited to the Jura Distillery Manager’s Tasting last Sunday as part of their online Fèis Ìle events.
We were there to celebrate the launch of Distillery Cask Fèis Ìle Edition 2021. A special single cask release which, for the first time, will support the vital annual Jura Music Festival!
The Distillery Cask Fèis Ìle Edition 2021 proved to be very popular and sold out within the hour. Good news as a donation of £25 from each bottle sold will help to honour Jura’s favourite island event of the year, the Jura Music Festival.
During the tasting we were treated front and back with some fantastic folk punk and then we had a tasty cocktail courtesy of ‘The Gate’ consisting of their handmade cocktail with lime, orange and ginger beer. Very refreshing and an excellent palate cleaner.
Then the fun really began – we were treated to some drams to sample which consisted of:-
- Jura Aged 21 Years – “Time” – Travel Retail Exclusive
- Jura Fèis Ìle Distillery Exclusive Cask 2019
- Jura Fèis Ìle Distillery Exclusive Cask 2021
So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …
Tasting Notes – Jura Aged 21 Years – “Time” – Travel Retail Exclusive (46.7%)
Matured in American White Oak ex bourbon barrels, before being finished in ex-peated malt casks.
Nose: Toffee and green apples while reminders of a dusky library linger in the background.
Palate: Cane sweetness with caramel, vanilla and green apples. Finish: Very smooth with some peppery spice blending in with grapefruit dryness. Overall: A very civilised dram with some sweet, toffee and fresh fruit flavours – certainly worth taking a trip for! |
Tasting Notes – Jura Fèis Ìle Distillery Exclusive Cask 2019 (56.5%)
A heavily peated 17 year old sherry butt filled in 2002.
Distilled: 27th. March 2002
Bottled: May 2019
Non-chill filtered and natural colour.
Nose: Peaty, smokey, BBQ flavours very much to the fore with a lovely coastal feel!
Palate: Liquid peat smoke with some added liquorice and treacle. Finish: It’s spicy and sweet at the end with generous pepper and peat woodiness and a hint of salt. Overall: I always love a smokey dram and this one doesn’t disappoint! |
Tasting Notes – Jura Fèis Ìle Distillery Exclusive Cask 2021 (57.1%)
18 Years old, unpeated whisky. Fully matured in a refill ex-sherry butt from Jerez, Spain.
Distilled: 30th. October 2002
Bottled: May 2021
Non-chill filtered and natural colour.
Nose: Sweet apple with pear and tropical fruits. Toffee arrives later on.
Palate: Very tropical with added apple, cane sugar sweetness, orange and chocolate. Finish: Some punchy peppery spice that sure adds some Oomph! Shades of salt at the end. Overall: A completely different dram to the 2019 – the 2021 is a sweeter, lighter, tropical fruit whisky. Though punchy it’s very smooth and very enjoyable! Some tasters added water but I wouldn’t personally – I love it as it is! |
Many thanks to jurawhisky.com (@jurawhisky) for sending such a glorious tasting pack!
Jura is also available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-
About Jura:
Jura is an island nestled off the West Coast of Scotland. With only one road, one pub, one whisky distillery and 212(ish) people, Jura is as beautiful as it is remote.
The distillery was established in 1810 and reborn in 1963 to revive the community.
Inspired by our history and our island home, we create single malt with a true passion for the craft of whisky making.
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