Jura Superstition Review

Country: Scotland 

Region: Highland - Islands - Jura

Brand: Jura Superstition

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV:  43 %

Date: 22/03/2013

Colour: Full Gold (Contains E-150)

Nose: Like in the Jura 16, I immediately get this Cooked Vegetables aroma. At least that's how I describe it. It could be Vegetative Sulphur I suppose. I'm not sure if, and if yes, how much Sherry Cask matured whisky was used in the Superstition. I only get weak Sherry notes, so probably not a high percentage. I also considered Phenolic aromas but then again I don't get very clear Medicinal tones such as Bandages or the like. It's a bit of a mystery to me I'm afraid. Sometimes it reminds me of very mature Blue veined Cheese! Over time, this aroma gets somewhat weaker and the Nose becomes more Earthy and Peaty in character though in a different way when compared to the peated whiskies produced at nearby Islay. In addition I find Hay, Oak, Toffee/Caramel, Butterscotch, Buttered Toast, Spices, Honey, Heather, Dried Fruits and Malt. There are very thin hints of Leather and Sweet Fresh Fruit as well. Think of Peach and Tangerine. 

Palate: A Combination of Sweet (Sugar, Honey, Marzipan), Spicy (White Pepper, Cloves, Aniseed) and Bitter (Herbs and Licorice). In addition some Cereals, Citrus, Mint and Hay. 

Finish: Short, Sweet and slightly Medicinal with some Peat, Spices, Honey, Ginger and a sprinkle of Salt.

I added a bit of Water and the dram gets more Cereals, Honey, Toffee, Peat and Wood on the Nose. The Nose benefits from a bit of Water but Palate and Finish are just watered down.

Rating: 78.5

Nose: 19.5  - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5  - Overall: 19.5

General Remarks: The Jura Superstition is NAS but is said to contain whiskies that aged respectively 7, 13 and 21 years. Around 13% of the Malt used is heavily peated. The name Superstition comes from an old ritual on Jura that dates back from Egyptian times. The Islanders believe that it brings good luck if you drink your dram of Jura in the correct manner by holding the bottle in such a way that the well-known Ankh cross in the centre touches the palm of your hand. The Ankh Cross is the Egyptian symbol for eternal life. Superstition sells at around 45 US Dollars per bottle.

Drinking Experience Neat: Average

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion: I do not usually drink Single Malts on the Rocks but I make an exception for the Superstition. It's quite okay that way. Neat however I do not find much pleasure in nosing and drinking this dram. The Nose is controlled by Vegetative aromas and on the Palate the Bitter elements like Herbs and Licorice spoil the show for me. This is my second Jura and I'm not very impressed I'm afraid. I have two more on the shelves, the 10 Years and the Prophecy. I'm an optimistic person by nature so I like to think I will enjoy them more. However, I am starting to believe that Jura's distillery character does not quite match my preferred flavour profile.

Jan van den Ende                                                                       March 2013

Caperdonich 1972 (Whiskybase) Review

Country: Scotland 

Region: Speyside

Brand: Caperdonich 1972 (Whiskybase/Whisky-Faessle)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 39 Years

ABV:  45 %

Colour: Pale Straw

Nose: Relatively Light but very Crisp and Fruity with Pears, Apples, Banana, Kiwi and Lemon. There's Oak of course but a lot less than expected after 39 years. The whisky smells remarkably fresh and vibrant. There's Malt, Toast, Honey and some "Herbes de Provence". Sweet Marzipan and Pralines also come to mind. Floral and Mineral tones complete the picture. It's amazing that so much of the Fruity distillery character has been preserved after such a long time. I don't get much Sherry on the Nose which leads me to believe that a large number of 3rd/4th Refill and/or Sherry infused casks might have been used.

Palate: A Cocktail of White Grapes, Orange, Apples, Banana and Tropical Fruits sprinkled with a bit of Lemon Juice and some Pepper and Cinnamon. I get Tea, Honey, Oak and Mint as well. Again only faraway hints of Sherry.  

Finish: Short, Dry and a bit Salty with Fruits, Ginger, Lemon-Tea, Menthol, Oak, Nuts and slightly Bitter Grapefruit-Juice. 

I added a bit of Water and the Nose gets additional Floral tones. These tones get even richer when Nosing the empty glass after some time. But I also get Licorice on the Palate and in the Finish. Better sip this Caperdonich neat. Lots of people find completely different Flavour-Profiles when adding a bit of Water but I'm not one of them I'm afraid. Generally speaking I don't find improvements when adding Water unless  the ABV exceeds 50%. But please try it out by all means as your senses might differ in this respect!  

Rating: 85.5  

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

General Remarks: This is probably the most expensive Whisky I've tasted so far. I'm tasting a sample from this Special Edition. It's a Joint-Bottling of Whiskybase and Whisky-Faessle. It was distilled in 1972 and matured for 39 years in Refill Sherry Casks before being bottled in 2011. This whisky is Un-Chill filtered and has not been artificially coloured. It's priced at around 230 US Dollars. The distillery was built in Rothes in 1898 by the founders of the Glen Grant distillery. Initially named Glen Grant # 2, it closed after only 4 years and was not operational until 1965 when it was rebuilt by Glenlivet Distilleries and renamed Caperdonich. It was sold to Seagram in 1977 and subsequently to Pernod Ricard in 2001. It was closed in 2002 and demolished in 2010.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Nosing and Tasting this 39 years old Whisky was quite a surprise. The Oak is there but it merely supports the Fruity distillery character that is still quite present. Quite some Floral and Herbal tones as well on the Nose. A bit more Sherry would have enhanced the overall quality of this dram. On the Palate the Caperdonich reminds me a bit of one of the more spicy White Whines of the Alsace on the Franco-German border. It's a nice dram for sure but I don't see me spending some 230 US Dollars on a full bottle. 

Jan van den Ende                                                                March 2013

Bushmills Black Bush Review

Country: Ireland

Brand: Bushmills Black Bush

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: NAS (Probably around 8-10 years for the Malt content)

Alcohol: 40%

Colour: Golden

Nose: It's Triple-Distilled and it shows. Quite clean, crisp and relatively light Nose with Malt, Buttered Toast with Black Currant Marmalade, Lemon, Dried Fruits, Grass, Straw, Oak, Apples, Toasted Corn, Vanilla Toffee, light Alcohol and hints of Sherry, Banana and White Grapes. You have to dig a bit for the Fruit but it's quite nice when you find it. There is a slight Metallic feeling to the Nose but not as noticeable as in the regular Bushmills.

Taste: A bit Thin, slightly Metallic and quite Spicy with Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom and Cloves. There's also Honey, Malt, Sherry, Butter, Cocoa, Biscuits, Nuts, Oak, Licorice, Lemon and a hint of Milk. Never got that before!

Finish: Rather short and a bit sugary with Biscuits, Grapefruit, Nuts, Oak, Licorice, Caramel, Apricot and Spices like Nutmeg, Cloves and Cardamom.

A few drops of Water take the raw edges of the Nose. But Palate and Finish are just watered down.

Rating: 82.5 

Nose:  21.5 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 21

General Remarks:  The Old Bushmills Distillery is located in the Antrim County in Northern Ireland. Since 2005 it's owned by the Diageo Group. In 1608 a licence to distill was granted by King James I which makes Bushmills the oldest licensed Distillery. That's why the year 1608 is printed on the label. The Distillery produces a whole range of Bushmills expressions including the Original or White Label as it's often referred to, the 10, 12, 16 and 21 Years Single Malts and the Special Edition 1608, released in 2008 to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Legal Distilling at Bushmills. The Black Bush is a Blend of Malt - (80%) and Grain (20%) Whiskies. It is Triple-Distilled and matured in Ex-Bourbon (Grain) and Ex-Oloroso (Malt) Casks. It's not expensive at around 35 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: It's a step up from the regular White but not by a whole lot. The Nose is the best part with lots of Malt, Toast, Lemon and hidden Fruits. Be sure to nose this dram from every angle. There's quite some Alcohol in the middle of the glass. Taste and Finish are quite Spicy and I'm not a fan of Licorice and Metallic Notes. It' s not a bad Whiskey for sure but also not one I will drink on a regular basis. I guess that, with a few exceptions like the Redbreast 12 , Irish whiskies are just not my favourite drams.

Jan van den Ende                                                                March 15, 2013