Jura Tastival Whisky

One island, one malt, eighteen years, and one amazing celebration makes for a one-of-a-kind Scotch Whisky experience.

Established in 1810 on the Isle of Jura, north-west of the Island (and Whisky region) of Islay. As with many other Scotch distilleries, Jura went through a rough patch in the first half of the 20th century. It wasn't until 1960, when two local estate owners, Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith rebuilt the distillery and introduced taller stills that allowed Jura to create a wider mix of malts. Jura’s Whiskies are just as unique as their place – a range of rich, seafaring Whiskies – some lightly peated, others carrying a heavier peated profile.

The Diurach (as the people of Jura call themselves) have one official holiday… the Whisky festival, held each year at the end of May. And the Jura distillery pulls out all the stops to create a special batch of Whisky for the event: The Tastival. Each special edition Tastival Whisky has a limited bottling and what is not consumed or purchased at the festival is offered for sale through specialty shops and retailers. For 2015, the total number of bottles was 3750, so you can imagine the limitations on supply.

Where other distilleries turn promotions over to recently-minted marketing MBAs fresh out of business school who whoop up special decanters and celebrity endorsements to churn up the profit margins and social media attention, the good folks at Jura focus on the Whisky and plan these things decades in advance. The 2015 Tastival was distilled in 1997… making it 18 years old… back when all those book-smart marketing VPs were still in short pants and sipping juice-boxes though a straw.

If you think you “know” Jura Whisky, think again. For this magnificent expression, their traditional Bourbon-cask aged Whisky has been finished in exclusive sparkling wine casks from Bouvet Ladubay in the Loire Valley, making the Whisky a bit sweeter, lighter, fruit-forward, and aromatic … almost crisp … with a lingering finish of dried pears and marzipan. Well done Diurachs … well done!