You never know what you are going to get with Jura… this whisky came to me via a friend’s birth year (1989) themed whisky tasting series. Talk about a power move!  The in-person tasting series are long over, but the party continues with the pours that I never got to. I was recently informed that, according to industry legend, these Dec. 1989 heavily peated Jura were distilled from peated malt that was intended for Bowmore, but accidentally sent to the island. The distillery did not know what to do with the resulting casks of whisky, as it did not fit their plans or profile, so they sold the lot off to Signatory. I have no idea if that is true, especially since the peated SMWS I just reviewed came from earlier that year, but clearly there were some fun things going on in the late 80s at the distillery.

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Whisky: Jura 26 Year (1989), Signatory Vintage Casks 30739-30740

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 57.6%

Cask: Bourbon Barrels

Age: 26 Years (Distilled 17 Dec. 1989, Bottled 19 Oct. 2016)

Notes: With ginger, orange, and linoleum I pictured an old-fashioned soda foundation with metallic polished chrome, waxy plastic padded chairs, checkerboard linoleum floors, and creamy egg flips. A touch of distant mangrove swamp and wispy smoke brought me back outside: a ginger beer in hand, with sweet earth, brine, and musty decay. Medium-bodied and oily, the flavors were punchy on the palate with plenty of ginger and clementines joined by sarsaparilla. Pleasant soda fountain vibes were punctuated by saltwater mangrove thickets, fallen tamarind pods, and polished metal. The flavors felt increasingly old-fashioned toward the end with earthy fermented herbs, fruits, and decay.  The finish was medium-length and a touch peppery with a kiss of brine, smoke, and orange rind.

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Score: 6 (78)

Mental Image: Mangrove Soda Jerk

Conclusion: More interesting than strictly good (how often do I say that about Jura…), this was an ideal tasting session or bar pour whisky. It was much more a singular fun experience, than it was not the sort of thing I want to relax with at home. It was a bit too eccentric to get properly settled in with as it sometimes lacked coherence, especially on the palate. The flavors were interesting, rather musty, with plenty of the mangrove swamp I associate with Jura, and an old-fashioned fermented-herbal quality at the end, almost rotten fruit and vegetation. Those notes might not have a mass appeal, but I always find them interesting and fun.