Isle Of Jura Boutique Barrels 1993

54% abv

Score:  89/100

Jura Vintage ’93.  Bottle says Sherry JI Cask Finish.  If anyone can share what the JI means…please do.

I have to confess right up front here.  I did read Serge’s of this whisky over at his site Whisky Fun.  Occasionally the power of suggestion can be overwhelming, and we find ourselves being subconsciously led without even really knowing what we’re following, let alone why.

Where I’m going with this one is…

Serge mentions raspberries, and I simply can’t wrap my head (or nose) around this one without being drawn back to that note.  It’s a very unique nuance, and incredibly defining in this whisky.  Not only that…it’s really quite lovely.  Kinda makes me marvel this isn’t a Speyside malt from one of the sherry heavyhitters.  Either way…I could drink this frequently.  Very frequently.

Big, big, big sweet Oloroso is stamped all over this one.  The effects of this sort of maturation or finishing on malts are often irresistable to me.  From the nose to the palate, these whiskies leave me salivating.  Other sherries work, of course, but Oloroso and single malt were meant to be together.  Bonnie and Clyde…Mickey and Mallory…Sid and Nancy.  That sort of story.  Each walked their own path through this world, but when they finally came together…nothing was the same afterwards.

Nose:   Sweet honeyed florals and a touch of dunnage.  Jammy notes.  Raspberry, by the buckets.  Quite some fresh fruit here.  Freshly ground dark roast.  Hay…like following the swather on the farm.  Match (but not sulphur), and maybe even a faint waft of smoke.

Palate:  Juicy, but slowly dries along the back sides of the tongue, like arid ground swallowing rain.  A lot of honey, and quite some spicy bourbon-ish notes.  Oak and barley follows all in a rather dry finale.  A little too hard a thump on the landing here.  Takes us into a dry herbal territory, not far off the finish of somethign like an anCnoc.  Would prefer a more refined ebb and fade, but beggars can’t be chosers.  This is a really good dram.

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt