“The Sound of Silence”
Whisky Review # 816
Country: Scotland
Region: Islands - Jura
Brand: Jura The Sound (Sherry Cask Collection)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 42.5%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks with PX 15 Sherry Cask Finish
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 50-60 (May 2019)
Buying Advice: 😡Negative. Young, lackluster Malt.
Colour:
Old Gold (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
The first thing I notice is this Baby Vomit note I so often find in Jura Malts. It's not as strong as in some other expressions and it does diminish with time so be sure you give the Sound enough time in the glass before Nosing. On the Nose the Sound is Young, Simple, Thin and mostly Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. Not much going on in this department. The Alcohol is noticeable. The Sherry cask influence is very limited. I can't get very excited so far.
Main Aromas:
Malted Barley, Slightly Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Wood Chips, Dough, Caffe Latte, Mixed Dried Fruit and Nuts, Orange, Grapefruit, Mandarin & Raspberries.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Pancakes with Syrup, Straw, Refill Oak, Dry Earth and some hints of Tobacco, Smoke and Leather.
Palate:
Thin, Bitter-Sweet and Sour. Not really pleasant.
Main Flavours:
Malted Barley, Salty Caramel, Toffee, Grass/Straw, Orange, Mandarin, Dry Earth, Pepper, Nutmeg, Wet Cardboard and Iron.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Nuts and Nutshells, Dried Herbs, Refill Oak, Maraschino Cherries, Raspberries and hints of Smoke, Dark Chocolate, Leather, Licorice, Tobacco and Menthol.
Finish:
Thin, Middle-Long and mainly Sweet. A little Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salty Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Honey, Refill and Virgin Oak, Nuts and Nutshells, Orange, Mandarin, Pepper, Nutmeg & hints of Cardboard Boxes, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Maraschino Cherries and Caffe Latte.
Drinking Advice:
Jura is an Island but some added water simply drowns the Sound. Is that even possible?
Rating: 76.5
Nose: 20 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 18.5 - Overall: 19
Drinking Experience Neat: Borderline Okay
Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay
Conclusion:
Jura means Deer Island. The Distillery is located in the small village of Craighouse the island's "capital". Craighouse lies on the A 846, some eight miles from the Ferry Terminal to Islay. It was founded in 1810 and since 1993 it belongs to Whyte & Mackay Ltd. Jura is mostly known as a Single Malt but it's also a very important part of the Whyte & Mackay Special Blend. The Distillery possesses 1 Stainless Steel Semi Lauter Mash Tun, 6 Stainless Steel Wash Backs and 2 Pairs of Stills. In 2018 their total production amounted to around 2,33 million litres.
The Sound is part of the new Jura Travel Retail Range called the Sherry Cask Collection. All of these matured in Bourbon casks before being finished in casks that previously held Pedro Ximenez Sherry of various ages. Fifteen Year old PX for The Sound, 20 Year old PX for The Road, 30 Year old for The Loch and 40 Year old for the 19 Years old The Paps. It all sounds very interesting but so do most stories related to Travel Retail expressions. As always I will concentrate on the quality and taste of the Whisky.
Jura is certainly not one of my favourite distilleries and The Sound does not do anything to change my mind. Young Malt, lackluster casks and a complete lack of personality. Mainstream Malt Juice! I bought a full bottle of The Sound at the Travel Retail Shop at the Sao Paulo Airport and I will finish this Bottle over Ice.
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende May 9, 2019
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks with PX 15 Sherry Cask Finish
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 50-60 (May 2019)
Buying Advice: 😡Negative. Young, lackluster Malt.
Colour:
Old Gold (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
The first thing I notice is this Baby Vomit note I so often find in Jura Malts. It's not as strong as in some other expressions and it does diminish with time so be sure you give the Sound enough time in the glass before Nosing. On the Nose the Sound is Young, Simple, Thin and mostly Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. Not much going on in this department. The Alcohol is noticeable. The Sherry cask influence is very limited. I can't get very excited so far.
Main Aromas:
Malted Barley, Slightly Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Wood Chips, Dough, Caffe Latte, Mixed Dried Fruit and Nuts, Orange, Grapefruit, Mandarin & Raspberries.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Pancakes with Syrup, Straw, Refill Oak, Dry Earth and some hints of Tobacco, Smoke and Leather.
Thin, Bitter-Sweet and Sour. Not really pleasant.
Main Flavours:
Malted Barley, Salty Caramel, Toffee, Grass/Straw, Orange, Mandarin, Dry Earth, Pepper, Nutmeg, Wet Cardboard and Iron.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Nuts and Nutshells, Dried Herbs, Refill Oak, Maraschino Cherries, Raspberries and hints of Smoke, Dark Chocolate, Leather, Licorice, Tobacco and Menthol.
Finish:
Thin, Middle-Long and mainly Sweet. A little Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salty Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Honey, Refill and Virgin Oak, Nuts and Nutshells, Orange, Mandarin, Pepper, Nutmeg & hints of Cardboard Boxes, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Maraschino Cherries and Caffe Latte.
Drinking Advice:
Jura is an Island but some added water simply drowns the Sound. Is that even possible?
Rating: 76.5
Nose: 20 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 18.5 - Overall: 19
Drinking Experience Neat: Borderline Okay
Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay
Conclusion:
Jura means Deer Island. The Distillery is located in the small village of Craighouse the island's "capital". Craighouse lies on the A 846, some eight miles from the Ferry Terminal to Islay. It was founded in 1810 and since 1993 it belongs to Whyte & Mackay Ltd. Jura is mostly known as a Single Malt but it's also a very important part of the Whyte & Mackay Special Blend. The Distillery possesses 1 Stainless Steel Semi Lauter Mash Tun, 6 Stainless Steel Wash Backs and 2 Pairs of Stills. In 2018 their total production amounted to around 2,33 million litres.
The Sound is part of the new Jura Travel Retail Range called the Sherry Cask Collection. All of these matured in Bourbon casks before being finished in casks that previously held Pedro Ximenez Sherry of various ages. Fifteen Year old PX for The Sound, 20 Year old PX for The Road, 30 Year old for The Loch and 40 Year old for the 19 Years old The Paps. It all sounds very interesting but so do most stories related to Travel Retail expressions. As always I will concentrate on the quality and taste of the Whisky.
Jura is certainly not one of my favourite distilleries and The Sound does not do anything to change my mind. Young Malt, lackluster casks and a complete lack of personality. Mainstream Malt Juice! I bought a full bottle of The Sound at the Travel Retail Shop at the Sao Paulo Airport and I will finish this Bottle over Ice.
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende May 9, 2019
