Jura is a speck off the coast of Scotland, known for its small size and huge deer population. Two hundred humans live on this tiny blob of land (a mere 141 square miles) with more than 5,000 deer. The name Jura is thought to come from the Norse “Island of the Deer”, which seems fitting in a place where deer outnumber humans 25 to 1. Of that tiny population of people, a few of them got together in the 1950s and restarted the island’s only distillery.
On Jura’s website they say, ” We’ve always felt an affinity with Brooklyn. Not only are we both islands but our rebellious spirit is known the world over, as is our love for carefully crafted, artisanal produce.” I think that’s a good reason to collaborate, don’t you? They got together with Brooklyn’s cheesemongers, coffee purveyors and chefs and created a taste profile that’s reflective of the spirits of Jura and Brooklyn. Here are my tasting notes – sláinte!
Nose: A mildly smoky aroma, no burn, with hints of sweetness.
Color: Medium color, with more of a yellow-orange (vs. golden) highlight.
Taste: This whisky has been aged 16 years in three types of wood: ex-Bourbon barrels, Amoroso Sherry and Pinot Noir casks. Each wood has imparted its own characteristics to the whisky, giving it honey and coffee notes.
Proof: 42% ABV (84 proof)
Price: $79.99 MSRP
Availability: It looks like many Brooklyn shops had a supply during the borough-only release in June 2014. Since then, it’s opened up to national retailers (both stores and online).
Other comments: I really like collaborations – I think craft beer does it most often, but I’m glad to see liquor heading that way! And now I want to go see the tiny island, with a huge deer population, that makes such great whisky. I’m just getting started in Scotch, but this bottle will always have a place on my shelf. Cheers!
I’d give this a solid 8.5 pancakes out of 10 – tasty!
Article by: Jeanne Runkle
