Today is the Feis Ile split day where two distilleries share the same date for their open day festivities: Jura and Kilchoman. By the way, from next year there will be two split days when Gartbreck distillery will open its door for visitors and I wonder which of the existing distilleries will get shared. Anyway, a split day and two celebrating distilleries so it’s a day for two reviews of last years Festival bottlings.

For last years festival, Jura distillery released Tastival 2014 (and this year it’s Tastival 2015. I feel a trend here…). Tastival 2014 is the result of 7 (Yes, you read it correctly, Seven) finishes. It started in American oak bourbon casks, following by finishes in Jupilles, Les Bertanges, Limousin, Tronçais, Allier and Vosges casks before finally being married in sherry butts. Phew!

You know the saying too many cooks spoil the broth, so I wonder if should we rephrase it as “too many finishes spoil the whisky” or maybe not?

Jura Tastival Feis Ile 2014 (44.0%, 3000 bottles, £90)

Nose: Very sweet, a cocktail of wine and sherry notes, candies bucket, lollipops, wine gum bears, sour snake candies, licorice,  x-mas cake spices.

Palate: who stole all the sweet flavours? the feeling in the mouth is not sweet at all, there’s wine, fino sherry and sour candies. lots of spice, oak and vegetables oil.

Finish: slight sweetness makes a welcomed return to linger along with minor peat note and oak.

Thoughts: Well, the seven finishes transformed this one into a unique whisky. I must admit I found it a bit weird and a bit unsuiting to my personal taste, but it’s not a bad whisky if you like that kind of impact. I wonder how’s the next expriment (AKA Tastival 2015) tastes like with sparkling wine casks finish… Slainte!