Jura 18 Year

The temptation is great seeing an 18 Year single malt scotch for $99.99, and I missed my chance initially. They had a bunch of these available in the online only section of our local stores and sold out. Then, a few months later, it was back, briefly, as “limited availability” which means less than 10 bottles. Had to pull the trigger at that point. Who knows but next time I see this it’ll be $130 or $140. Prices don’t go down, do they? Anyway, Jura. All I really know of Jura is the 10 year, which to me is one of the great bargains in single malt scotch. It won’t rock your world, but for about $40 you get an age statement scotch, which while it is, indeed still only 80 proof, tastes of honey, vanilla, and pears. What it lacks in complexity, it makes up for in drinkability. As for the 18, that was what I was expecting: not that it would rock my world necessarily on the scale of complexity, but that it would taste pretty damn good. The nose is distinctive for how darkly fruity it is: this is plums and black cherries with maybe a hit of black licorice riding its tail. There’s a tartness here that’s just next door to funky as though the fruit is overripe in a luscious way, just next door to going bad but hasn’t crossed the line quite yet. It’s the kind of fruit aroma which, coming from an orchard, causes wasps and big old fat bees to hover over the dark skin that’s almost falling off the fruit, sucking up the juices. On the palate, it’s got an oily viscousness that, along with the dark fruits, has this almost hoagie oil type of flavoring, there’s something about the back end, as it moves into the finish that reminds me of when you get a bit of orange peel in a sip of sangria but overall it comes off quite smooth, with a bit of peppery tartness that isn’t overly long, but allows the fruit flavors to linger on the tongue with just the right touch. Overall, this is solid and a pretty good bargain. I haven’t had many 18 Year Single Malts because they don’t sell smaller bottle samples anywhere around me, and most of them are beyond my reach in terms of pricing unless its bonus time, and oftentimes, I prefer to get 2-3 bottles between $70-100 rather than say, one bottle for $160. I’m tempted to pull the trigger on Highland Park 18 and there’s an Aberfeldy 18 finished in Cabernet Casks for $119 that looks to me like quite a bargain that I might pull the trigger on next month. But as my entry point into 18 Year Single Malts, this one serves its purpose and I expect to enjoy this bottle straight through. But of course, when people say there are peaty flavors here and smoke, I don’t know what they’re talking about. There’s no peat to be had here. And no smoke to speak of. Doesn’t detract from the bottle, but fair warning. Don’t go in thinking you’re getting Talisker.

I’m a big fan of the Jura Prophecy and the Superstition. The only problem with that is that they aren’t in circulation anymore, meaning that while I have a positive opinion of the distillery, I have nothing to say for its current state. I’ve been warned by some of the members here on this forum, but as always I will do my best to be impartial. Nose: Honey and toffee. Grilled pineapple. Dried apricot and cranberry. Honeydew and white grape. Nougat, milk chocolate, and caramel. An interesting blend of coastal, salty smoke and earthy, rubbery peat. Sun-dried tomato. Croissant. Orange citrus. Blackberry. Old newspaper and hearty oak. Strange mix of a notes but not without merit. Palate: More of the toffee and honey. The pineapple, white grape, orange citrus and dried apricot and cranberry persist. Blackberry and now raspberry. Sun-dried tomato as well. Caramel and nougat. Maple syrup. Croissant. As I’m writing this I realize it’s pretty much identical to the nose. I detected some plum, which led me to discover that this was finish in Grand Cru red wine casks after 18 years in ex-bourbon. That’s a first. The peat and smoke are light, and it’s more of the earth and rubber than the coastal notes from the nose. Finish: Drying finish. Raspberry. Bitter dark chocolate. Cocoa. Caramel, toffee, and coffee. Menthol. Sun-dried tomato. Prickly cinnamon and black pepper. Oak. Moderate length. Without a doubt, one of the strangest whiskies I have ever had. It’s definitely a good one, and I’m glad I grabbed it. I’ve been reviewing quite a few whiskies lately, and I can say without reservation that this put a hitch in my giddy-up. It’s as unique a whisky as I’ve had. An eclectic bowl of fruit with some other sweet notes and a backdrop of the peated profile that would normally be put forward in comparable whiskies. It’s a complete mess at times, but it stokes the imagination while remaining a pleasant sipper. And while I grapple with how to score the content of the bottle, I must also consider the price. And at $130, this is a steep price for such an experimental whisky. It’s funky, unique, but falls a tad short of what I’d expect of an 18-year old malt of this price. Yet, it’s a respectable effort from Jura, yet again. 3.5/5.

Sydney Whisky Show May 20th 2023. Whisky #15 Nose: Orange marmalade, honey, red berries (cranberries? blackberries?), almond brittle, printer’s ink (!), tobacco, leather, damp soil and a waft of peat smoke. Palate: The arrival is an odd combination of dark cherries, dried figs, dried apricots, grilled pineapple, bittersweet cola syrup and espresso. The development shows earthy, woody honey notes together with a little smoke that reminds me of the taste of herbal cigarettes. There is also a briny note that brings to mind Jura expressions from 10 years ago and like many of those, this turns towards bitterness in the late palate. The texture is full but not heavy. Finish: Medium. Drying, burnt butter, burnt sugar, bitter cocoa, bitter coffee, grilled grapefruit and black pepper. A somewhat uncompromising finish. A rather complicated and not entirely balanced whisky that seems to be uncomfortable with itself. It’s not awful, but it is certainly “interesting” and not a dram that would appeal to novices. In fact, it would not appeal to many aficionados either. The nose is great, deep and with lots of complexity to explore, but the palate is where it starts to unwind and the finish is, well, I wouldn’t call it bad but for me it was not appealing. It tastes like the stills were run too hot and the spirit caught, but that’s just a subjective impression and it’s far more likely that the dry, burnt quality of the finish is coming from the casks. “Average” : 78/100 (2.75 stars, but if the finish was better I’d give this 3.75)

Initially an annoying alcoholic whiff arrives at the nose, vanishing with a little aeration, highlighting the fruity aromas of pineapple, mango, candied orange and hazelnut. Caramel, nutmeg and milk chocolate flakes complete the bouquet, rather simple but pleasant. Background woodiness. The palate is less rich than than the nose, with a strong presence of wood that slides on the tongue bringing with it a noticeable vinous astringency. Once the impact is over, the fruity and sweet aspect of the whisky returns, albeit with a bitter base note that quickly breaks the balance, and the alcohol content (albeit low) roars too much, and in the end there is a slightly defined sweet and bitter mash. Fairly short, very dry finish of hazelnuts and wood. The nose was not great, but at least it made you think of a harmless but pleasant drink, and instead you find yourself with a mess that is not clear where it came from, with that cask of French wine launched in the mix without a clear reason, maybe in the (failed) attempt to save the salvable. A memento for those who think that the more a whisky has aged the more it improves, to be summed up with a "no fucking way".

Wow is this a tasty 18??! Year old. Im a fan of Jura despite their reputation. I recognize they are not always consistent and some of their offerings miss the mark. Yet This bottle is pleasantly surprising. It does not taste like an 18 year old, but it is also not priced like one (Ontario Canada) so i can appreciate what it offers for the value. Plum rasin wax with a briny tip. Yum yum! On the nose, plum jam with a brine and sea salt. It leaves a touch of oak and spoce at the end. Its soft and flavourful, but not a strong nose On the palate, the mouthful is delightfully waxy compared to the 10 & 12. Dark fruits greet your mouth, i taste plums with rasins, some sea salt and vanilla. Scorched chili makes an appearance on the back end. The finish: short. Much shorter than you would expect for the age statement. A Briny fruit flavour bids you farewell. After some time sea salt and vanilla remain.

Color: Auburn Nose: Brown sugar, toffee, caramel, plums, stewed prunes Palate: Sharp, sour, bitter, spicy Finish: Fairly short, heat, barley sugar, spicy Bottles at 44% ABV. No info about natural color or chill filtering on the bottle. Matured in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in ex-Bordeaux wine casks. like the nose on this one. The palate was initially rough, but with water it improved. I was hoping for more complexity and a longer finish in an 18 yr. old. A decent dram, but too pricy for what it delivers in my opinion.