Jura 10 years

Score: 56

Jura 10 Year Old came in 5th place during the club’s inaugural tasting—a result that surprised no one and impressed even fewer. Matured in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Oloroso sherry butts, it offers a mix of subtle smoke, sweet fruit, and earthy vanilla, but the overall impression was clear: “Not great, along with the rest of the distillery offerings.” The nose opens with honeyed barley, peaches in syrup, and a whisper of wood smoke. On the palate, it’s oily and subtly spicy, with notes of vanilla pod, chocolate-covered raisins, and a touch of coffee. There’s some citrus, lemons, perhaps, but the flavors feel unsettled and incoherent, lacking the harmony expected from a whisky of this age. The finish is short and slightly spicy, fading quickly without leaving a lasting impression. One club member boldly nominated it as the “Dark Horse” of the lineup, a title that aged about as well as the whisky itself. Ultimately, Jura 10 is not impressive and lacks integrity. It’s a dram that promises complexity but delivers confusion. A whisky that’s more about the story than the sip, and in this case, the story is better left in the archives.