Jura (Sansibar)
1990/30 Year |Black White Art|
Sherry Cask 5297 - 46.5%
*Sansibar Whisky 10th Anniversary*
In order to comemorate Sansibar Whisky's 10th anniversary as an indpendent bottler, there was a smattering of joint-bottlings released, back in 2020. This was one of the few that came soley from Sansibar and was packaged in a decorative, tri-fold box adorned with their famous style of artwork, depicting the distillery.
Appearance: Amber
First Whiff: Sea shells and hay bales.
Nose: There's an awesome blend of aromas here dancing between chalky, mineral, and farmy. Some faint vegetal peat mixed with a touch of a coastal presence...seaweed, moist hay drying in the sunlight. Crisp citrus/honey notes lead into a beautiful bouquet of chamomile.
Palate: Oily, gentle...immediately introduces some seafood, shellfish and pasta...linquini and clams. The chalkiness runs through as well, with a nice balance of clay/sticky putty and sour grapefruits.
Finish: Creamy and a bit short, with an everlasting taste of sea shells and wood glue.
Summary: The color/age of the whisky tells the story, right from the beginning...letting you know the cask played more of a "holding vessel" role, rather than contributor. The story held true as this is just pure, Jura in a glass...distillate driven, devoid of any fruity character (not a problem here, of course). I only wish it packed a little more punch...felt a tad thin and restrained at times.
IDS SCORE: 89
Isle of Jura
(Mossburn - Distillers & Blenders)
1993/28 Year |Vintage Casks|
HHD/Batch 20.0493.SC5 - 48.2%
Is there a secret decoder key available somewhere that helps us decipher these cask numbers? Given the distillation/bottling dates, and cask referance, the only guess I have is the "SC" means single cask...but it says "Batch No." instead of "cask no," so maybe this was a marriage of two sister casks?? I'd say this makes learning Loch Lomond's system a breeze.
Appearance: Pale Brown
First Whiff: Melted Crayola crayons.
Nose: Refrained at first, then chalky, plasticine style putty (harder than Play-Doh, more of the arts & crafts type). Slightly vegetal with green tomatoes, tomato vines with a slight touch of bitter/ripe tropical-ness ("funky tropical" for short)...cooked guava, kiwi skins, and pink dragonfruit.
Palate: Soooo creamy. Wow...an older style of malt here...reminiscent of those early 80's Caol Ila's on the creamy scale. There's a thick, dare I say...waxy texture here which is sublime...and even enriches the aromas. Soft and chewy, old wood, buttery-sweet biscuits, barley husks with subtle ginger spices...with a mixture of green olives, green bananas and salted caramels. Damn...
Finish: Smooth, subdued even...with a slightly peppery aftertaste.
Summary: Again, it feels like an older style of single malt here, with a dangerously drinkable...wonderous mouthfeel...and little, to no bite. The angel's must've agreed and stole a healthy amount for themselves...which is the only thing hurting it, really.
IDS SCORE: 90
Jura (Blackadder)
1988/30 Year |Statement - Edition No. 32|
Single Oak Hogshead 1643 - 50.2%
The Blackadder "Statement" bottlings always carry a hefty price tag, and for good reason as they're often held in pretty high regard. This one was famously crowned the "Best Premium Whisky" of 2020 in the last awards handed out from legendary Malt Maniacs group...an award, which is also held in pretty high regard.
Appearance: Deep Brown
First Whiff: Warm, buttery pancakes.
Nose: Doughy cake batter with a mossy & citric top note. Soft, gooey butter cookies made from vanilla cake mix topped with lemon zest...lemon butter cookies? Over time there's a funky development of spoiled, milk curds and mild cheddar cheese. With water: Honeycrisp apples and sugary chamomile tea.
Palate: More of a sharp cheddar now...creamy with a bit of minerality. Salty seaweed mixed with tangy citrus and juicy, funky tropical fruits...guava, lychee, muddled pineapple and crispy plantains. With water: Seems we've hit a sweet spot...candied red apples, salted caramel and sweet salmon candy.
Finish: Creamy, tart and warming. Bounces between cooked, tropical fruits and boiled seafood, like muscles and clams.
Summary: Funny, the ABV helped it initially but a few drops of water softened the sharpness, perfectly. Otherwise...just another beautiful, distillate driven representation of what Jura could be. Complex enough when it needs to be but overall, another dangerously drinkable profile for me.
IDS SCORE: 91
