Feis Ile 2021 – Jura Distillery Managers Tasting
Nicola received in the post a box from The Jura Distillery which contained 3 Whisky samples, a pouch containing a cocktail, a fresh lime, a dehydrated orange slice, a can of ginger beer and two packets of snacks.
This was for the Distillery Managers on-line tasting being held at 4 pm on Sunday the 6th of June.
Nicola had a prearranged short staycation in Glasgow on this day it was left to me to stand in and do this on-line tasting.
The host for the evening was Stephen Martin, Global Single Malt Whisky Specialist at Whyte & Mackay. Stephen gave us quite an insight to the history of the Jura Distillery. Stephen introduced us to Graham Logan the Distillery Manager who would guide us through this afternoon’s drams.
Stephen firstly asked us to open the pouch cocktail, which was a Jura & Stormy cocktail containing Jura Rum cask, Lime, Sugar, Bitters and Ginger Beer and pour into a highball glass, add ice, a squeeze of lime juice and topo with the orange slice. A very nice cocktail and would be ideal as a palate cleanser between drams.
Up first was the Jura Tide, a 21 Year Old Expression
This is a fine dram that shows the Jura style, soft, fruity, a little salty and is an ideal aperitif.
The nose was fruity and quite tropical. On the palate we got a Caribbean fruit punch, a little orangey with some sweet tobacco. The finish was long and the fruit certainly took command. Bottled at 46.7% Alc/vol with prices ranging from £110.00 to as high as £150.00.
Up next was the Jura Distillery Cask, 2019
This is the best Jura expression I have tasted, it has everything I love in a dram. I imagined myself lighting a peat fire on the beach. The nose earthy, beach bonfire embers and ash, lobster pots and oyster juice. The BBQ was now on the go, with kippers and seared prawns, loads of peat smoke, a long sweet and peaty finish, what a delight.
Finally we have the Jura Distillery Cask, 2021
Matured for 18 years in a single refill sherry butt from Jerez, which was hand selected by Graham. Bottled at 57.1 % Alc/vol with only 300 bottles being available. Each of the 300 bottles were hand filled and wax sealed by the Distillery team
On the nose was a sweet aroma, tropical fruit and oranges. The palate gave me Scottish tablet covered in plain chocolate, treacle toffee, and salty. The finish was medium to long with some wood spice creaping in adding to the sweet fruit.
I had a grand afternoon at this tasting and cannot speak highly enough for the peated jura Distillery Cask, 2019.
Looking forward to once again visiting the Isle of Jura
We also had a couple of snacks from the Serious Pig Company, oven-baked almonds seasoned with Cornish Sea Salt and Crunchy Snacking Cheese (100% oven baked Italian cheese) . The Snacking Cheese was quite exceptional.
