2006 Isle of Jura 12 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Single Refill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

Isle of Jura is a bit controversial these days. Several customers have already surprised me with their preconception of this odd little distillery. How did such a gorgeous distillery get a reputation across so many disparate drinkers? There is as well the odd customer saying, "Oh, I LOVE Jura," but the general consensus is that this cask will be eyed with skepticism from some, thanks to some preconceived notion of this malt. Luckily for me, this is the type of casks that can change people’s entire outlook on life. The incredibly oily rich malt of Jura is perfectly suited for a nice refill sherry butt and without the chill-filtration and low proof of the distillery bottlings, we've entered a whole different territory for this wild malt. There's just so much going on here it's hard to even begin to describe it. First nose is all candied apple, sea spray, roasted malt and hints of speedway. Like having a coffee near an F1 race. The malt is big and the sherry character is not obvious. But with air the complexity really explodes. This one demands a touch of water and some time to breath because behind those odd flavors is a plethora of complex flavors. Salted fruit, ozone, fennel, oyster shell and camphor. The palate is surprisingly sweet with some nutty sherry starting to sneak in. With more water ocean spray, but not quite briny. Big black pepper, almond butter, Ruger wafers on the palate. With more air, hazelnut spread on rye. A weird wonderful combo, but strangely delicious. This is one of the most unusual and exciting casks we've ever bottled, but not at all difficult to love just in need of some coaxing. And at this price, I'd hope every serious drinker would consider giving the odd little malt a chance and some time to tell its story.

In my mind the Isle of Jura is one of the dark horses of scotch. It’s the only distillery on the small island off the west coast of Scotland and in my experience, often gets overlooked. Their distillery offerings have always been a go to for me when recommending a bottle at a lower price point and I often felt they weren’t getting the attention they deserved. Now that we’re able to offer a private barreling of their juice, the word will spread and us scotch drinkers will be giving the town of 200 a lot more work. More on the savory side of the spectrum, on the nose brown butter, nutmeg, salted toffee and lemon pith were apparent but I felt like it was constantly changing and daring me to take another whiff. The first sip was a wondrous moment; full bodied and chewy with a sweet caramel note to start, while star anise and Chinese five spice were trailing close behind. The finish was long and tingled the tongue as sweet oak notes slowly faded away.

This has to be one of the most interesting single malts that I have tasted in a while. There is a lot going on and it is absolutely delicious. In the nose there are hints of salt, malt and a kiss of savory. This mixture continues in the mouth with the salt, malt and subtle savory flavors working well in harmony and balance.

I have fond memories of Isla of Jura's distillery bottled 12 year old single malt, from about 5 or so years ago now. I remember the nicely burnished color, the intense but not over the top sweetness balanced by a subtly savory chewy quality. Our Old Particular bottling delivered on my expectations for this distillery, and then some. Showing a honeyed quality with more persistence and depth of flavor than many other 10-12 year old single malts, there is also an appealing saline quality towards the finish that sets Isle of Jura apart. Tasty and likely to become a go to for many folks. Anticipate what you need now, it won't likely stick around our inventory much longer.

Bright and fruity! Medium caramel scents mix with syrupy peaches and pears and some orange-y citrus qualities. Further nosing reveals a white pepper spice, cinnamon, and a luscious butteriness. The palate is fruitier initially with peaches and additional citrus. Quickly, though, dusty leather arrives to dry everything out. This fades to an austere yet tingly finish with just the faded memory of those fruits lingering, ending gently with the light leather and some saltiness too.

I absolutely fell in love with Jura on my last trip to Scotland in May. I didn't travel to the island, although there is a spectacular view of the famous Paps of Jura from the new Ardnahoe distillery on Islay which we did visit. I did however find myself ordering and drinking Jura in damn near every bar in Glasgow. At first it was just because it was on a happy hour special at a couple of places. Then it quickly grew into a love affair seeking out odd one off casks in champion whisky bars like The Pot Still. While I found the 10yo, 18yo, and a few NAS to be lovely drams, the lightning really stuck me upon my first cask strength taste. When later in the trip we were offered the chance at this cask, after a quick nose, we had to take it. It's sweet and salty at first blush, like a sliced apple sprinkled with a pinch of finely ground sea salt. Candied oranges and brandied pears find themselves paired perfectly with the dried fruit sweetness of the refilled sherry butt. The palate confirms what the nose knows. It also adds more baking spices, dates, and a dusting of powdered sugar. The final wave of sea salt laps against your palate, a gentle tide splashing your legs on a late summer day at the beach. Such is the beauty of unadulterated, full proof Jura.