Although Jura is located right next to Islay, the Jura Distillery‘s whisky is quite different from the (mainly) heavily peated expressions from across the water. Instead Jura’s house style is lighter and fruiter.
Jura Prophecy is the big exception, since it’s the distillery’s heavily peated expression. It’s aged in French Limousine oak casks, un-chillfiltered and bottled at 46% ABV.
Colour
Golden syrup. Unfortunately, like most of the Jura range caramel has clearly been added so it’s not natural colour.
Nose
Buttery with a punch of peat smoke. Some rich fruit sweetness comes through and I thought I could smell orange marmalade.
Taste
Even though this is bottled at 46%, it’s very smooth with no alcohol burn at all.
Sweet at the start, then ashy smoke arrives. The sweetness returns, with a liquorice tastes and then it’s turns dry and slightly herbal for the medium and slightly rough finish.
Water brings out a bit more of the ash, but I felt that water was unnecessary.
Overall
Although Prophecy is a perfectly fine whisky, I admit I couldn’t get that excited about it.
The flavours are pleasant (though I found the finish wasn’t really to my taste), but it just doesn’t seem to suit being heavily peated.
Bottling it at 46% and not chill-filtering the spirit are good things which help with the flavours but drinking it, I couldn’t help but feel that if I wanted to have a peated whisky, there are several Islay expressions I’d rather choose.
So overall, it’s good value and worth a try if you get a chance, but in my opinion, it’s not worth going out of your way to get a bottle.
(Image credit: Master of Malt)
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