Jura 2003 (Douglas Laing Provenance)

Douglas Laing seems to have bought quite a few Isle of Jura 2003 casks and they’ve started to bottle them. There were at least 2 or 3 similar releases in 2013.

Jura 9 yo 2003 (46%, Douglas Laing Provenance 2013, ref. 9305)

Nose: gristy, grainy and peaty. It’s really young spirit, with newmakeish notes of pear drops, porridge and spearmint bubblegum. That doesn’t mean it’s bad – there’s a nice oiliness to it and a pleasant dustiness. Hints of walnut husks.

Mouth: very sugary. It’s fairly rounded, with vanilla, honey and cinnamon sweets. Peaty notes, some iodine. Unfortunately also a faint wodka-like roughness.

Finish: medium. Some apples and grains.

A simple, peaty dram. It’s not a bad drink, but it should have matured for a couple of more years before being bottled. Around € 50.

Score: 78/100