Jura One For The Road A Fitting Sending Off Whisky For Storied Career

by Nino Kilgore-Marchetti
September 13, 2016

There comes a time in the whisk(e)y world for everyone when you hang up the distillery equipment and enjoy the golden years of life without the strain of distilling every day. For Jura’s now former distillery manager Willie Cochrane that time was this year after nearly four decades in the industry. As he heads off to enjoy his well earned retirement, the distillery has released a special bottling in his honor dubbed Jura One For The Road.

Jura One For The Road, according to the Scottish island distillery, is a 22-year-old single malt which has been finished in former pinot noir red wine casks. It is a limited global release of just 5,000 bottles, each bottled at 47% ABV, and is non chill-filtered and of natural color.

As for the man being honored by this Scotch, Cochrane is said to first have arrived on the isle in 1977, planning to only stay for a year. This stretched, however, over 39 years, during which time he worked his way up from being a mechanic with little knowledge of whisky to knowing the ins and outs of making Jura bottlings enjoyed the world over.

“One of the perks of my job is meeting people who have travelled to the island from far and wide to share their appreciation for whisky with me and the team at the distillery,” said Cochrane in a prepared statement. “Now that I have the opportunity, I can think of no better way to repay the favour than releasing one final expression – one for the road – to share with them.”

Cochrane is being replaced at the Jura whisky making helm by Graham Logan, who worked alongside the industry legend for over two decades. Official limited tasting notes for Cochrane’s tribute whisky, meanwhile, are below for your consideration.

Color: Mahogany honeyed gold

Nose: Freshly baked bread, moist walnut cake, over-ripe pineapple and vanilla. A whisper of black bitter chocolate, Java coffee and tangy macaroons to finish.

Taste: Ginger, cassis, frangipane and caramelised peaches. Glazed nectarines, pears in red wine and soft cranberries. A finale of Turkish delight, fig syrup and cherry cake.