It's a Vintage Friday. Jura's new 1977...and Jazz

What a bloody full-on year so far.  With barely time to find to feed oneself, Caskstrength have this week been getting stuck into some of the recent samples to pop through the letterbox -  to be honest, trying to clear a path to our desks would be a big bonus.

One banger of a vintage that jumped out immediately is the recent 1977 release from Jura.  The distillery has a very healthy vintage collection on its mantlepiece now and the 1976 release, which came out back in 2011, made our BiG shortlist such was its succulence.

This year, we find the distillery offering up something equally interesting and hopefully as majestic on the palate.  The 1977 bottling is limited to 498 bottles and was originally matured in three first fill bourbon casks, before being finished for a further 12 months a ruby port pipe.   The additional port character is not immediately visible, but look closely and you'll begin to see the slightest tinge of sunset red... wondering what it has done for the nose and palate of this 36 year old.  

Wrapping up warm... and rocking' to a
1920's Jazz playlist... Lois Ridley. 

Today's review will be made in the company of miss Lois Ridley, who, it turns out seems absolutely fascinated with the trombone-heavy 1920's ragtime jazz of Tiny Parham and Jack Teargarden.  A recent discovery for me, thanks to the honourable Mr Sam Simmons, aka Dr Whisky.  In fact, the more she listens the more I am convinced she's destined to be a future heartbreaker and sultry Jazz chanteuse... Gulp.

Jura - 1977 Vintage -  498 Bottles - 46% - £600 RRP

Nose:  An intensely fruity aroma off the bat, with some big fat buttery vanilla pods, a faint whiff of some perfumed ruby port, oil of Olay, lip gloss and face powder (not mine, I may add), a little furniture polish and some restrained peat smoke (in the way only Jura knows how.) It's delicate, refined and very good indeed. 

Palate: Almost tropical on the first sip, followed by sweet vanilla, white chocolate, a similar restrained peat smoke as to the nose, coconut, Caramac bars and more of that Olay/face powder.  I imagine this is what its like kissing a 1920's jazz chanteuse, if they were nibbling on a Caramac between sets.    

Finish: A drying note, but the vanilla continues to sing through, backdropped by a trio of coconut milk, creamy oak and perfumed peat.  

Overall:  Well, they keep plucking 'em from the relative obscurity of the Jura warehouse and thrusting them into the limelight... and boy, this one hit the high notes yet again.  Who needs Stephen Poliakoff's 'Dancing On The Edge' when you can listen to this baby all night...