I chose this scotch for my wife to maintain her mild interest in my hobby. After sampling several different malts, this won because it is complex, non-peated, and well balanced-- slightly sweet rather than too oaky or dry. Overall I would call it a success (for both of us!). Kate – The Jura 10 is like gently rolling waves. When the next one comes in, it’s a different smell. It’s like when you have a nice dry rub on ribs, a little sugary almost like brown sugar but then a little bit of spice. This is a very present but polite scotch. It comes together in harmony, subtle yet bold. Taste: dried oranges, again notes of cereal, orange blossoms, honey, oak wood shavings, ginger and a whiff of iodine. Nose: A light nose with a good helping of cereal. Otherwise there are some apples, etc. A basic ex-bourbon nose that hardly exudes originality on the first whiff. On the second whiff, I get a somewhat herbal or vegetal note. Ginger and wisps of salt are here, too. There’s a bit of sharpness here, but it never loses its balance.

Nose: Somewhat weird nose. Caramel and a strong whiff of a pungent musk. Probably the worst nose of any single malt I've tried. Clove, ginger, and strong molasse This bottle I have just bought is pretty nice, in an odd sort of way. It has quite a bit of character, although I am still not altogether convinced i like the Jura character. 40% is about right for it for me, as I don't want that Jura weirdness to be much more intense. I feel a bit the same about Bowmores. I don't think that higher alcohol content is always better in weird whiskies.Pallet: sweet smooth arrival, sweet honey comes first then it’s floury (as in bread dough), there is a suggestion of floral (as in flowers) but then the tequila comes in as you swallow. Drinks as if it’s either very young or at a higher strength than 40. With water still doesn’t go down easy, much more mellow arrival, crème caramel? Really really delicate now. The bread is now toasted, slightly malty and nutty. Palate: Some white pepper and some ginger are the first things I notice. Butter. Heather. There are some oak notes that follow. This is a bit saltier than expected. Salty, but not dry and briny as some maritime whiskies tend to be. Some mild citrus notes come through, too.

The palate is lively, with sweet honey on the front, some salty and smoky peat and pepper in the middle, and some soft citrus fruit on the end with a hint of bitterness.

What next?

Jura 10 bottle is totally transparent and colorless, which leads us to this peculiar note about the hue: if you see the bottle, the scotch looks amber to reddish with some brown highlights, but if you pour a dram, it's straw yellow with a slightly greenish cast to it. Of course, the latter is the one I use as a reference. Nose: slightly oily, salty little bit of caramel, a very floral honey and I can’t get the thought of smoked fish out of my head. Bread dough and a tiny bit of pretty raw tequila. With water really dominated by bread dough, there is a suggestion of floral and even some sherbert. The nose is rather distinctive, in my opinion, as compared to the many other single malts in my collection. Though, it has softened a bit over time after the bottle has been open. Either that, or my nose is better trained! I get a nice combination of sweet honey and caramel, some tequila-like notes, and citrus fruits.

A guest brought this to me at Christmas and I'm quite glad I didn't hand over my hard earned cash for this bottle. I'm well aware others have not had good experiences but mine has only been positive. On the nose I'm getting malted and honeyed coffee beans with light floral and white pepper notes. Neat the arrival is light and silky, really well balanced with a distinct three-phased experience: Light heather and caramel, followed by white pepper, smoke and then a leather and sort of flinty finish. I'm also getting cigar tobacco, parchment and citrus aftertastes with coffee beans. Nose: Quite fresh and delicate. Very floral and earthly, like smelling the summer hay. Oak is there too. Palate: Caramel, right off the bat. It suddenly turns into bitter, sweet and sour honey. Toffee. Its all lightly coated with molasses. Nose: Hits the nose with a moderately abrupt blast of spicy citrus dominated by oak, cloves, and allspice, with notes of lemon and oats, and evened out by a touch of honey. That gradually transitions into a sweeter, mellower mix in which honey and slightly tart green apples are the primary flavors – almost pushing into sauvignon blanc territory – with a touch of the aforementioned spices and faint floral notes.Jura 10 Year Old. A whisky only Jura could make, born of our Island and still produced today in a bottle originally shaped to withstand the roughest of journeys from our home. Crafted in unusually tall stills, matured in the fresh sea air and American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and finished in the finest aged Oloroso Sherry butts – it’s the perfect marriage of Highland and Island styles.” Palate: Enters very lightly and thin. No obvious notes, just smooth, with maybe slight heather. If your glass has not breathed enough, it first tastes leathery and chalky, with some tobacco. But later this develops into thin caramel, which is vaguely salty and well-balanced. There is slight mocha too, if you're looking for it. The palate itself is very easy; what really matters is which way the nose influences your experience. Finish: Short to medium finish. Some lemon rind, ginger ale, salt, white vinegar, and lingering pepper are the last to leave. Nice and even. During the finish - which is pleasantly long - salt and sweet battle for attention, while being goaded by light peat and peppers.