Jura Origin 10 Year

Rund aber nicht torfig sanft süß und fruchtig

Maple and apple on the nose, with a touch of peat. Pretty spicy for a 40%. Pretty earthy actually, with cut grass and the light peat flavor. Not my favorite.

Rating: 14/23 I think I've heard mostly negative things about Jura, but I've never tried it before, so I'll maintain some hope. N: Sweet and clean, then a bit of vegetation mixed with honey comes in. It's not quite manuka honey, but it's kind of around there. Some minerality and a bit of spiciness that's predominantly peppery. Light overall and not very interesting, but there's some stuff going on, especially with that interesting vegetal mix with honey. Just a touch of raw chicken breast belying youthfulness. P: Clean and sweet with honey and minerals backed by a spicy layer that mostly burns but isn't harsh. There's a light bitter earthiness to it that isn't quite vegetal. That earthy vegetal whatever merges with a touch of malt and faint grassiness. There is a mild red fruit layer here that's ever so slightly juicy. Very faint brioche. It's a bit empty in a way that reminds me of Paul John Christmas Edition 2020, but without the big smoky dry layer. F: Clean and mildly sweet creek water with a faint earthiness and memories of spicy burn. - Conclusion - I honestly was expecting this to be bad and it just isn't. It's nothing all that memorable, but it's totally fine and it brings a little bit of scotch funk in without doing so in a way that is likely to be especially off-putting. I think this is solid competition for Compass Box Artist's Blend (13/23). Having to pick a winner, I would choose this. It reminds me a bit of my bottle of Cadenhead's Tullibardine 25 (19/23), but this definitely isn't on the same level as that is. This honestly tastes a lot like a less good version of that. This is less full, nuanced, and mature, but it's honestly pretty solid. Side by side with the Tullibardine, I do get some alcohol coming out of this and this is also thinner and less cohesive. I'm considering anything in the 14 to 17 range for this. Choosing now, I'd go for a 16. Coming back to this, I think I overrated this the first time because I was just show shocked by how not awful it was. Now, I'm placing it right between Compass Box Artist's Blend (13/23) and Knappogue Castle 12 (15/23) in a side by side. I guess that means I should go with a 14. Still very respectable and better than I expected to be giving this, but not something I'm excited to drink. And I can understand it getting lower ratings because it is a very subdued, subtle dram. Some might even call it muddled.