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.