Jura 16 Year Old

I earlier reviewed the other 3 of Jura's range (10yo/Original, Superstition, & Prophecy). Now onto the 4th and final, the 16yo, which has the official title of "Diurach's Own" to signify that it is the drink-of-choice among the inhabitants of Jura. Aged 14y in oak and 2 in sherry.

Nose#1: Thick and sweet on first pour-- caramel fudge as it opens. Maybe a hint of pine.

Nose#2: Toning down to that idiosyncratic "Jura aroma" I described in the other reviews (dried-apricot/beer/cheese), except that it is now richly enhanced with honey butter. With more time, it develops elements of sweet grass and faint nectarine (citric peach).

Palate: Enters sweet with honey..., then a wave of gingery oil (with the honey); then becoming smoother and vanilla creamy-- still with ample honey.

Finish: Rather like the palate, with honey lingering gingerly. Joined softly by salty vanilla, and fades to grapefruit pith.

This warrants comparison with the 10yo/Original, the other non-peated sibling. Their aromas are similar, except the Original has more salt & soil, whereas the Diurach's Own has honey & grass. Their palates both evoke caramel (very smooth and somewhat sweet) but the Original's is more black pepper and apricot, whereas Diurach's Own offers more straightforward honey and a touch of vanilla. You might even call this one "uninteresting" if you're looking for complexity (the main reason for a lower score). Sweet and smooth, this one lends itself to dessert.

Aside from simplicity, my other reservation is that a couple years ago I was offered a sample of this in a Duty Free shop, and at that time I was less impressed with the 16 than with the 10. I recall finding the Diurach's Own rather like "hay and butter" (which I now find in the Superstition), whereas I thought the Original had more sweet complexity. My point is: if your bottle is open for a long time (presumably it was at Duty Free), then it is possible this might eventually tone down to hay, i.e. losing the honey effect. It remains to be seen....

Nevertheless, having now reviewed all 4 of the core range, I overall rate the Diurach's Own the highest, for the simple joy of it. If you're feeling more thoughtful, then reach for the Original. But for those hedonistic times, go for Diurach's Own.

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