Jura 34 Year (1989) Thompson Brothers

Scotch Whisky Review : Jura 34 Year (1989) Thompson Brothers

Distillery: Jura.

Bottler: Thompson Brothers.

Region: Island.

Age: 34 year. Distilled in May 10th, 1989 and bottled June 2023.

ABV: 45.9%.

Cask Type: Refill Hogshead.

Price: £287.50.

Color: 0.2, Pale Straw.

Nose: It’s quite fruity and tropical. Pineapple is the major note here along with a bit of lemongrass and meringue. You get some oily notes, flaxseed oil comes to mind, along with roasted barley and something slightly waxy like a salt water taffy.

Palate: It is a bit warm on the palate, perhaps a bit warmer than 45.9% says it should be. At full strength, it feels a touch closed off. A few drops of water goes a long way in lowering the temperature and waking things up. The palate isn’t as fruity as the nose is and instead is rather cereal driven. You get a lot of roasted barley, malted barley, and a load of cornflakes. The mouthfeel is on the oily side. The longer this sat out, some fruit does come out in the form of a few tropical ones. Starfruit, a bit of quince – particularly the waxy rind bits, finger bananas and golden berries all come to mind.

Finish: Medium in length. Bit oily and waxy on the finish.

Conclusion: I’ve not had a lot of old Jura, the last time I had any it was rather chaotic though a lot of Jura I’ve had has been. The official notes on this whisky seemed to talk about a rather tropical fruit dram that was a bit oily and perhaps having a little bit of wax going on. Ultimately, I have to agree with that. The nose is very fruity and tropical, even if it is a bit pineapple heavy. There’s flaxseed oil and a bit of wax to go along with it. The palate has more of the oily notes and a bit of water makes a basket of tropical fruit peep out from a vat of cereal. The finish is a bit lacking for me which is a little bit of a shame. Overall though, this is a really fun but a whisky that I’d say requires you to sit down and think through rather than somewhat mindlessly enjoy.

Rating: 86.

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Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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