The real reason we were on Jura a couple of weeks back was to be the first bloggers (and among the very first people in general) to taste the limited edition Paps of Jura bottlings.
The bottles are all signed by Master Distiller Willie Cochrane (he told us it took him three days to sign 1600+ bottles of each one) – and there are, like the mountains themselves, three in the range.
They are from left to right above:
Sacred Mountain: Barolo finish
Colour: Golden hay
Nose: Citrus and cinnamon with lavender.
Palate: Fudge, oranges, fruit salad.
Finish: Short finish, sweet – almost honey.
Mountain of Sound – Claret finish
Colour: Coppery highlights
Nose: Nuts, cloves, citrus peel, grandma’s kitchen.
Palate: Red wine, dark chocolate, caramel, christmas cake.
Finish: Rich and warm, Christmas – nutmeg, eggnog.
Mountain of Gold: Pinot Noir finish
Colour: Golden with ruby highlights.
Nose: Cocoa, exotic fruit, rose.
Palate: Mulled wine, marmalade, aniseed, berries, ground pepper.
Finish: Dry and a little astringent. The pepper remains.
Overall: Of the three, we strongly preferred the Mountain of Sound. That said, it’s not the jewel in Jura’s crown. That honour goes to the 16 year-old. Our favourite of the Jura range, however, is the Earth bottling from the Elements range – which appeals to our taste for the peatier end of the spectrum – and the Super Strength Superstition is something we’re awaiting with bated breath.
For drinking, I’d be hard pushed to justify that type of expenditure on a bottle, but the attraction here is definitely the trio as a centerpiece for the enthusiast’s collection. However, if you’re lucky enough to have that sort of spending cash hanging around, there are not many better choices in this budget range that you could crack open and be assured of not only a talking point due to it’s lovely packaging, but an idiosyncratic dram that truly reflects a part of Jura’s unique character – both the island, and the distillery.
If we ever encounter these bottlings again, I know we’d be instantly reminded of the rugged skyline, and the kindness we were shown, and for me, those are the kind of experiences I treasure when being introduced to something, be it friend, place, or dram.
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