The Isle of Jura is a barren, sparsely populated Inner Hebridean island off the west coast of Scotland. A single distillery, Isle of Jura, operates in the town of Craighouse. This is where most of the population (numbering around 200) reside.
It is a close northern neighbour of the more prolific whisky-producing island of Islay. However the delicate honeyed nature of Isle of Jura Single Malt Scotch whisky differs greatly from the heavily peated malts of its neighbor.
Jura is a thin island 30 miles (50 kilometers) in length. It lies between Islay and the Scottish mainland, just north of the Kintyre Peninsula. (The latter is home to the historic Campbeltown region.) Only a few miles off the mainland (and just 60 miles/95km as the crow flies from Glasgow), Jura was famously described as ‘unget-at-able’ by the writer George Orwell. A seasonal ferry is one of the very few ways that people can access the island. Otherwise all transport is via Islay.
The reason for Jura’s poor accessibility and low population is to do with its barren, unfertile landscape. Though the whisky is not very peaty, much of the island is covered in peat bogs. These are not suitable for any kind of agriculture.
However, Jura has a remarkably mild climate due to its position in the North Atlantic Gulf Stream. This brings warmer waters from the southern Atlantic to the area. Jura is also sheltered somewhat from the worst winds by the presence of Islay in the south. The breezes here bring a more gentle sea-salt character to the finished whisky.
A previous distillery in Craighouse closed in 1910. The Jura people had to get their whisky from Islay for half a century. In 1962 Orwell’s former landlord Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith, a fellow landowner, founded a new plant. Their main client – Scottish and Newcastle Breweries – wanted lighter whiskies for blending. Thus the style of Isle of Jura whisky was set. The distillery is now owned by Whyte and Mackay.
Whyte and Mackay Group
Parent Company:
Emperador Distillers Inc
Operational
Scotland
Islands
Single Malt
1810
2.200.000 Liters
Although the large southern Hebridean island of Jura has always been sparsely populated, it has a fascinating distilling heritage. In the 18th century, it was reported that islanders made spirit from rowan berries, as well as using the bitter fruit to acidulate their whisky punch.
Illicit distillation took place, but there was a legal site in the island’s only settlement, Craighouse, in 1810 licensed to the island’s owner Archibald Campbell. There is debate as to whether there was a legal distillery in Lagg.
The distillery went through a number of names: Craighouse, Small Isles, Caol nan Eilean, Jura, and various owners without garnering any great fame until 1901 when it was among many to close in whisky’s first great sales slump. The cost in running a remote island site is always expensive, and a lack of direct transport to the mainland (all ferry traffic still has to go via Islay) also counted against its survival.
It was these economics which ruled Jura out of the distilling equation for over six decades. Then, in 1963, two of the island’s landowners, Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith, decided to start whisky-making once more – predominantly as an incentive to stop any further decline in the island’s population. With financial backing from Leith-based blender Charles Mackinlay & Co, the famous designer William Delme-Evans was hired and a large, modern distillery was built which was further expanded in 1978 to its current size. In 1985, Invergordon Distillers bought Mackinlay and from there the firms were folded into Whyte & Mackay.
It began being sold as single malt in 1974, and the range has grown steadily since. The start of peating saw some smoky whisky being included in the no-age Superstition brand, launched in 2002, while a 100% smoked Prophecy was released in 2009.
In 2018, Jura underwent a radical revamp, introducing a completely new range of whiskies with a lightly smoky character, from the entry-level NAS expression Jura Journey through 10-, 12- and 18-year-old malts, plus Jura Seven Wood. Further expressions, including Jura Time and Jura Tide, have been launched into travel retail.
At this point Jura’s core range is:
Elements:
Paps Beinn:
Tastival:
Vintage:
Explore the Isle of Jura’s only whisky distillery and see how our whisky is made by the people in our small island community. A tour of our distillery, including our history and production process, followed by a tasting of two drams (chosen by your tour guide).
DURATION:
DRAMS
COST
A tour of our stillhouse and filling store, followed by an in-depth tasting of four whiskies from our signature and limited ranges. Ideal if you want to focus more on tasting whisky.
DURATION:
DRAMS
COST
Something a bit different for the seasoned distillery-goer. A tour focused on the woods used in our casks and their contribution to the flavours of our older whiskies. Finished with a tasting of four drams from different cask types (chosen by your tour guide), tried alongside the spirit or fortified wine previously used in the cask.
DURATION:
DRAMS
COST
A quick tour of the distillery, finished with a dram of Jura 10 Year Old or our signature Jura Sunset cocktail. Perfect if you’re short on time or arriving on Jura later in the day.
DURATION:
DRAMS
COST
| Day | Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 10:00 | 16:30 |
| Tuesday | 10:00 | 16:30 |
| Wednesday | 10:00 | 16:30 |
| Thursday | 10:00 | 16:30 |
| Friday | 10:00 | 16:30 |
| Saturday | 10:00 | 16:30 |
| Sunday | Closed | |
| Day | Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 10:00 | 16:00 |
| Tuesday | 10:00 | 16:00 |
| Wednesday | 10:00 | 16:00 |
| Thursday | 10:00 | 16:00 |
| Friday | 10:00 | 16:00 |
| Saturday | Closed | |
| Sunday | Closed | |
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