Jura 16 Year Old Perspective No.1

Jura 16 Year Old Perspective No.1

Region: Highlands

ABV: 45.6%

Price: £70.00

Today’s review comes from a distillery we have mixed feelings about—Jura. We’ve had some outstanding drams from them, but also some major disappointments. To dip our toes back into Jura, we’ve chosen the Jura 16 Perspective No. 01, the first release in a new limited edition series. The distillery describes this release as inspired by an old favourite of their team, Jura Diurachs’ Own, saying, “The team have taken what was loved best from the distillery favourite and added their own stamp to create a whisky which is inspired by the whisky makers who came before, but which represents Jura’s house style today."

Like Diurachs’ Own, this whisky was matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in oloroso sherry casks. It is bottled at natural colour, non-chill-filtered, and at a higher ABV of 46.5%, compared to Diurachs’ Own’s 40%.

Nose

On the nose, there are notes of candy necklace, fudge, caramel, and orange peel, with no noticeable spice or ethanol. Ginger, cream soda, and grapefruit add to the pleasant profile, though there’s a slight bitterness in the background. Upon revisiting, hints of freshly baked bread roll, barley sugars, and orange and lemon peel emerge.

Palate

On the palate, there are notes of strawberry jam, simple syrup, and chewy toffee, complemented by a warming spice from black pepper. Sadly even at 45.6% the mouthfeel is a bit thin. The finish is medium length, with the aforementioned notes lingering. Over time, a sweetness from raspberry ripple sauce appears, as does a variety of citrus flavours, including a slight bitterness from blood orange.

Nose (with water)

With water, the nose doesn’t open up significantly. Notes of strawberry laces and cream soda appear, with a hint of pepper and aftershave in the background.. There’s also a touch more citrus and jam, but overall, it’s quite similar to the nose without water.

Palate (with water)

With water, the mouthfeel takes a noticeable hit, becoming quite thin. It’s almost overly sweet, like sucking on a sugar cube, with only a hint of fruit, but it benefits from a reduction in that bitterness. The finish is short, with a brief burst of citrus sweetness that quickly fades, followed by a touch of pepper spice.

Conclusion

Sadly, the increased ABV over Diurachs’ Own doesn’t seem to add much benefit here, and the whisky doesn’t really open up with water either. Undiluted, there are some pleasant notes, but nothing that hints at its age. It also suffers from a disappointing mouthfeel. It’s not the worst, nor the best, Jura we’ve had—but perhaps the most forgettable.

Score: 6/10

Value

In today’s market, £70 for a 16-year-old is actually a pretty good deal. It’s just a shame the whisky doesn’t live up to it.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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