Jura 14 Year Old American Rye Cask Whisky Review

There’s something beautiful about the symbiosis in the two whiskey distilling industries of the U.S. and the U.K. Centuries ago, whisky produced in Scotland and Ireland was some of the first distilled spirit consumed on the shores of what would become the United States, and it would remain that way for many, many years until our domestic distillation industry built itself into a self-sustaining powerhouse, first with rye whiskey, brandy and rum, and eventually with the American invention that was bourbon in the 1800s. Gradually, this American whiskey then filtered back across the pond, until U.K. distillers learned that malt whisky matured in used American oak was both commercially sound and delicious. Today, the two industries continue to support each other, with much scotch still being matured in used American oak, and U.K. distillers being a valuable market for American distillers to sell used barrels. And that symbolic partnership is particularly highlighted in the newest release from Jura, a 14-year-old single malt whiskey aged in American rye whiskey casks.

In terms of the classic scotch whisky regions, Jura is classified as a member of the Islands, a less strictly defined segment that makes up the handful of distilleries dotting islands off the Scottish coast, with the exception of the cluster of distilleries on Islay, a region unto itself. Island distilleries aren’t easy to generically classify, as they fall into many flavor profiles, with some favoring heavily peated drams and others producing richer, sweeter malts. Jura is owned by Whyte & Mackay Ltd, the same owners of Dalmore. This particular 14-year-old expression falls between other entries in the distillery’s signature series, which classically is made up of malts that include both ex-bourbon and some sherry cask maturation, with subtle peat influence. American Rye Cask, as the name would imply, is also partially matured in American rye whiskey barrels, which “deliver depth and complexity to our 14-year-old single malt with layered spice, aromatic, herbal and floral qualities.”

The final product is bottled at the minimum 40% ABV (80 proof), which means it should be plenty approachable. It carries an MSRP of $75 for its 750 ml format. So with that said, let’s get to tasting and see how this atypical barrel finish has affected the spirit.

On the nose, this release first presents with sticky sweet toffee and honeycomb. There’s significant bright citrus, paired with a malty sweetness suggesting lemon-drizzled biscuits. Vanilla pudding gives way to delicate underlying earthiness and subtle nuttiness, with just a bit of marzipan. It smells sweet and approachable, with perhaps just a hint of the spice-forward rye grain. It’s a very pleasant, but laid-back sort of nose.

On the palate, this trends more toward the toasty and nutty, with more honey toffee, hazelnut and then more herbal and grassy components creeping in. There are brief flashes of the grassy rye grain, but these flavors don’t stick around for very long. The nose made me expect pretty significant sweetness, but here’s it’s actually a bit more mild than expected, with a mild fruitiness evoking some fresh yellow apple flesh, and a little cinnamon spice, but again fairly restrained. Oak begins to take over more toward the end of each sip, with moderate tannin contributing to a slightly drier finish. Ethanol is very mild, as you would expect.

At the end of the day, I like the thought process here, but the results feel a little bit insubstantial. It’s a perfectly pleasant dram, but I can’t help but wonder if another 10 proof points might have elevated the whole profile into more memorable territory. It’s an effortless sipper, but not necessarily one that commands your imagination. I’d be curious to see the distillery take a bolder swing at this flavor profile in the future.

Distillery: Isle of Jura Distillery
City: Isle of Jura, Scotland
Style: Single malt scotch whisky
ABV: 40% (80 proof)
Availability: 750 ml bottles, $75 MSRP

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.