Name: Jura 18
Color: Dark Copper
Nose: Malt, flowers, wood
Taste: Malt, flowers, cream, honey, wood
Jura Distillery was founded in 1810 and is located on the Island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides off the West Coast of Scotland. The distillery has changed hands may times over the years and is currently owned by Whyte & Mackay.
Jura 18 has a lovely nose but is hard to detect all the notes. It is well balanced and has a medium body for an eighteen-year-old whisky. This expression is aged in American White oak ex-bourbon barrels and then is finished for several months in Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux red wine barriques from the southern region of France. I have noticed when whisky is aged in red wine casks, I struggle to nose it. I am not sure what my problem is but at least I know I have one. Regardless, this is a very nice whisky at 44% abv. I sampled it right after the Jura Seven so it was vast improvement and I might be a little biased.
Jura has 26 expressions currently on the market divided into Signature, Travel Exclusive, and Rare & Limited. For all these expressions, I do not see a lot of Jura in bar, stores, or duty free. The ones I do see with any regularity are the 10, Seven Wood, 18 year old, and an occasional specialty expression. I am due to be in Glasgow in a few months and I will see what Jura’s the Pot Still has on the shelf.
Priced around $150+ and worth the money if you like the flavor profile.
If you like it, drink it! – Chris
If you like it, drink it!
