Isle Of J U R A S C O T C H 7 Wood

Overview
Isle of Jura Seven Wood is a non-age statement single malt Scotch from the Isle of Jura distillery, highlighting an experimental maturation across seven wood types as part of the brand's 2018 lineup revamp that replaced expressions like Origin, Superstition, and Prophecy.

Specs at a glance

Good to know
This expression begins with aging in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before finishing in six types of French oak casks sourced from distinct forests: Limousin, Tronçais, Allier, Vosges, Jupilles, and Les Bertranges. The Isle of Jura distillery, originally founded in 1810 and rebuilt in the 1960s by architect William Delme-Evans, joined Whyte & Mackay in 1985 and later passed to Emperador in 2014. Expert reviews position it as an ambitious multi-cask project similar to Dalmore's King Alexander III, though critiquing the brevity of cask influences.

Tasting notes

• Nose: Vanilla and caramel from bourbon maturation, accented by orchard fruits and subtle oak spices from the French cask finishes.
• Palate: Light body with sweet caramel and oak notes, evolving into tannic bitterness and dark chocolate; the multi-cask approach yields complexity but lacks depth.
• Finish: Short and astringent, dominated by bitter oak tannins that overshadow earlier sweetness.

Notable details

• Production: Initial ex-bourbon aging followed by finishes in six French oak varieties; non-chill filtered not specified.
• Lineage: From the Isle of Jura distillery, known for its remote island setting amid a larger deer than human population.
• Comparison: Evokes Dalmore's multi-finish experiments but with less integrated cask impact [Whiskey Reviewer].
• Availability: Introduced at MSRP $79.99 as a core NAS offering in the 2018 portfolio alongside age-stated 10, 12, and 18-year releases.

"The Seven Wood is an ambitious multi-cask experiment akin to Dalmore's expressions but ultimately falls short due to its brief cask influences and bitter end." – Whiskey Reviewer

Closing
An innovative cask explorer best suited for those intrigued by French oak diversity in a lighter island single malt framework.

Sources

[1] Whiskeyreviewer – "Isle of Jura Seven Wood Scotch Review"

[2] Whiskeyreviewer – "Isle of Jura Seven Wood Scotch Review"

[3] Whiskeyreviewer – "Isle of Jura Seven Wood Scotch Review"

[4] Whiskeyreviewer – "Isle of Jura Seven Wood Scotch Review"

[5] Whiskeyreviewer – "Isle of Jura Seven Wood Scotch Review"