Jura – Elixir Aged 12

My whisky collection started nearly two years ago, with a bottle of Jura Superstition. Oddly, I haven’t drunk a single dram since. I have something akin to mental block to purchasing Jura, but it is always on offer. So when I found a couple nestled firmly in the middle of my parents collection, this sparked an interest and I felt a review brewing.

Jura is what people called an Island whisky. This is because the distillery is set on the Island of Jura, which is only 60 miles from Glasgow on the west coast of Scotland. The distillery was first built in 1810, but it fell into ruin and was only rebuilt 1963. They apparently have very tall stills, which allows them to create a wide variety of flavours.

Appearance: A deep caramel colour, which reminds me of casked rum. Somebody cynical might say that this colours comes from another bottle.

Aroma: There is vanilla, but it mostly reminds me of rum and raisin fudge. That odd mix of sweet and enjoyable, but there is something oddly fake about it.

Taste: Intially there is a creamy, sweetness and a rosy fruit. Something in between plum and raisin.

The middle notes are a rising, but gentle spice. This is a warming quality, which is sweet like brown sugar. Here these notes sweep me home, to the kitchen. A banana chocolate loaf is rising slowly in the oven, spreading a deep warmth round the house.

Finally the warmth drops backwards in the throat, the oak spice lingers. There is an over arching cinnamon and ginger. These notes give a heat and there are creamy, returning vanilla notes.

Mouthfeel: Gentle, sweet and creamy.

Overall: This dram is comforting, subtle and gently spiced. I can see this being a day after day dram, something you can drink whenever the need takes. It’s only real crime is it ability to melt into the background. It’s not bombastic, so it could be labelled as a bit dull (Although I think this is unfair).

Real Dram Factor: 7.6

More Information: Jura Whisky Website

Source: My Parent’s Dram Stash

Buy Online: Master of Malt – Jura 12 Elixir £45.83