“Simple and Clean”
Country: Scotland
Region: Highland - Islands - Jura
Brand: Jura
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 40 %
On the Ferry to Jura!
Colour: Golden Amber (Contains Caramel)
Nose: It strikes me that I don't get the unpleasant Cooked Vegetables Note I find in some of the other Jura Expressions like the 16 and the Superstition. The 10 Years has a Light, Sweet and Uncomplicated Nose with Caramel, Toffee, Marzipan, light Honey, Dried Fruits, Malt, White Bread Dough, Caffe Latte, light Orange Marmalade, Pear in Vanilla Sauce, Straw, Dusty Roads, Nuts, Oak, light Spices, Salt and a trace of Leather. It's not remarkable but it doesn't present any real Off Notes as well. It's a pity that the Alcohol is rather present and not well integrated. The Milky Note that I have described as Caffe Latte vaguely reminds me of light Baby Vomit from time to time but it's not strong enough to be considered a true Off Note.
The Mash Tun
Palate: Thin and Watery Delivery. Less Sweet than I expected. I find Malt, Nuts, Toffee, Fudge, light Honey, Orange Peel, light Leather, Salt, Pepper, Apple Vinegar, light Vanilla, light Milk Chocolate, Licorice, Aniseed, light Menthol, Dry Earth, Dried Herbs and light Leather.
The Wash Backs
Finish: Quite Short, Medium Sweet, Malty and Nutty with Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Orange, Oak, Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg and light Licorice.
Head, Heart & Tail
I added a bit of Water and you get more Milk, Malt and Toffee on the Nose. But Palate and Finish do not benefit from the added Water. Better sip it Neat.
Rating: 80
Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20
The Distillery Baking in the Sunshine!
General Remarks: The Jura 10 Years or Origin is the Standard Expression of the Distillery and sells at around 40 US Dollars. It matures in Ex-Bourbon Casks.
Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good
Conclusion: It's not a big Single Malt by all means but better than I expected. I didn't get any of the Cooked Cabbage on the Nose and the 10 Years in Refill Bourbons Casks provide the Malt with a clean feel. The Nose is actually quite acceptable. But on the Palate the Jura 10 Years is too Thin to leave a lasting Memory. And the Finish is short and forgettable as well. The Miniature I used for this Nosing and Tasting Session was bought around 2 years ago and it does not mention "Origin" on the label. So it could be it was bottled 3-5 years ago. The Label doesn't give any additional information in this respect. If you have just started to enjoy Whisky, you will find the Jura 10 Years to be utterly drinkable and highly accessible. If you want a bit more adventure however I advise you to go for the Jura Prophecy instead.
The Stills
Some of the Wood
The water for the distillery is sourced from the Bhaile Mhargaidh Spring . From April to September, the Distillery opens from Monday - Friday from 10.00 to 16.00 hours and on Saturday from 10.00 to 14.00. From October to March it only opens from Monday to Friday from 11.00 to 14.00. Despite the remote location, the distillery is visited by around 10.000 people annually. The Standard Tour is Free.
The Cosy Shop
We visited Jura on Saturday May 17, 2014. Unfortunately it rained again for most of the day. To get to the Distillery you have to take the expensive five minutes Ferry from Port Askaig. Be sure to arrive at the Terminal in time because sometimes it sails a couple of minutes earlier and you might get stuck for an hour or so. Yes, it happened to us on the way back! Once you arrive at Jura you'll have to negotiate a narrow road (A 846) for around 8 miles to reach the Distillery. The Tour is so so and the Distillery looks a bit messy at places. At least during our visit. At the end of the Tour we had a look at the cosy little Shop where we had the 16 Years and the Prophecy.
Jan van den Ende September 15, 2014
Sail Away Sail Away Sail Away!
