Jura 1989 Rare Vintage

I generally find Jura's products uninspired, typically average or slightly above. However, I heard these extra old releases are exceptional, so my curiosity led me to try a sample of this 30-year-old bottled at 53.5% ABV. The initial aroma presents a mild sourness with notes of lemon-lime sorbet, dried mango, and sandalwood. This is followed by light floral hints of lavender and honeysuckle, transitioning to dark chocolate and toasted coconut. Further notes include papaya, bananas flambé, and grilled pineapple, concluding with the scent of dusty old leather-bound books and polished antique furniture, accompanied by minimal ethanol burn. The palate has a medium, creamy texture. It begins with orange sorbet, salted mango, and sandalwood, then light floral notes of lavender and honeysuckle. This evolves into mildly spiced mocha and toasted coconut, followed by papaya, bananas flambé, and grilled pineapple. The experience finishes with saffron, cardamom, candied ginger, dusty old leather-bound books, and polished antique furniture, all with a low ethanol burn. The finish is of medium duration, featuring dark chocolate orange, dehydrated candied pineapple, cloves, saffron, cardamom, a hint of black pepper, dusty leather-bound books, and polished antique furniture. Remarkably, this is an exceptional whisky. While the nose began with a slightly concerning mild sourness, it quickly gave way to a complex blend of sweet tropical fruits, mild sour citrus, florals, and well-aged oak. This carries through to the palate, which has a medium, mouth-coating feel with mild spice and the addition of exotic spices. The flavors meld harmoniously, with only a minor flaw of mild sourness slightly detracting before a fruit-forward finish with dark chocolate, exotic spices, mild pepper, and well-aged oak notes of leather-bound books and polished antique furniture. It appears that an extended maturation in ex-bourbon casks was all Jura needed to create a complex and flavorful aged whisky. However, at a price point of $700+, I find it hard to justify the premium, as there are many other options available for under $200 that I would rate higher and prefer to purchase.