Jura

Introduction:

Jura Distillery, located on the Isle of Jura, offers a core range of four whiskies: Origin 10 – year – old, Duirach’s Own 16 – year – old, Superstition, and Prophecy. Each bottling has its own unique flavor and aging characteristics. Prophecy is a young and heavily peated whisky, while Duirach’s Own has a mature character and is not heavily peated. Superstition combines both peated and unpeated malts. The 10 – year – old expression is the well-known standard and was the only available malt in the past. Additionally, the distillery has other releases, including Turas – Mara, Elixier 12 – year – old, and 21 – year – old whiskies. One notable bottling was the Jura 1984 Vintage, which paid homage to George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, written during his time on the island from 1946 to 1949. The distillery also had an Archive Bottlings Range, featuring three ‘Boutique Barrels’ from 1993, 1995, and 1999.

In terms of availability, official bottlings from Jura Distillery outnumber independent bottlings from the Isle of Jura. While there have been a few independent releases from bottlers like Douglas Laing and Hunter Laing, the official collection provides a more comprehensive selection.

Production:

The Isle of Jura distillery produces an impressive 2.2 million liters of alcohol annually, with a significant portion sold as single malt whisky. The distillery sources its water from Loch a’Bhaile Mhargaidh, located on the Isle of Jura itself. The distillery faces the challenge of limited accessibility due to its location, situated sixty miles from the Scottish coastline. George Orwell famously referred to the distillery as ‘un-get-able’ due to its difficulty to reach. The distillery’s production facilities include six stainless steel washbacks and a semi-lauter mash tun.

Pot Stills:

Jura Distillery operates four pot stills: two wash stills and two spirit stills. The wash stills have a capacity of 24,500 liters each, while the spirit stills hold 15,500 liters each. All the stills have constricting pieces in their necks, which increase reflux during distillation. The stills feature wide, spherical lids that immediately narrow at the neck to accommodate the constricting pieces, which contribute to increased reflux. Jura’s stills stand at an impressive 28 feet in height. They were once the tallest in the industry until 1843 when Glenmorangie surpassed them. The unique shape of the pot stills enhances the high ester notes of the barley and produces a lighter and fruitier whisky. The lyne arms connect to condensers located on the outside wall of the still house.

Maltings:

Since 1978, Isle of Jura has sourced its malts from the Port Ellen maltings facility on the nearby Isle of Islay. The malts used include both unpeated and heavily peated varieties, resulting in a range of flavors. Port Ellen is selective about the quality of grains it sources and often chooses those from the Speyside region. The peat used in the malting process is obtained from the Isle of Jura itself.

Warehouse:

Jura Distillery has on-site bonded racked and dunnage warehouses for aging its whisky. The distillery utilizes specially selected American and European oak casks to mature its single malt whisky.

History:

Jura is a unique place, with more whisky barrels than human inhabitants. The distillery is situated in the only town on the Isle of Jura, Craighead. The distillery has a history that unfolded in two phases, like many other distilleries with a series of openings and closings. The modern-day distillery was constructed by Charles Mackinlay & Company in 1960, with the first distillation taking place in 1963. However, the site had an older distillery that existed long before the modern facility.

In 1831, William Abercrombie obtained the first license for the Isle of Jura Distillery. Production began shortly after and was successful. In 1853, Norman Buchanan from Glasgow took over the lease, and in 1867, J. & K. Orr acquired the distillery after Buchanan filed for bankruptcy. The license changed hands again in 1876, this time to James Ferguson and Sons. In 1901, a conflict arose between the Ferguson family and Laird Colin Campbell of Jura, leading to the closure, dismantling, and sale of the distillery equipment.

After remaining dormant for many years, the distillery was revived in 1960 when Charles Mackinlay & Company undertook a reconstruction and expansion. Despite the subsequent acquisition of Charles Mackinlay & Company by Scottish & Newcastle Breweries, the redevelopment of the distillery proceeded. In 1962, Scottish & Newcastle Breweries formed Mackinlay-McPherson to operate the Isle of Jura distillery. Finally, in 1963, the distillery saw the first distillation in over sixty years.

The number of stills at the distillery was doubled from two to four in 1978, and in 1985, Invergordon Distillers acquired the distillery through a corporate merger. The ownership changed hands once again in 1993 when Whyte & Mackay, a long-time competitor, took over Invergordon Distillers. Whyte & Mackay remained in control until 2007 when United Spirits from India purchased Whyte & Mackay. Since its reopening, the distillery has thrived, expanding its official bottlings and gaining recognition for its visitor’s center.

Visitor’s Centre:

Jura Distillery boasts an award-winning visitor’s center, offering comprehensive tours of the facilities, a gift shop, and a café. Despite the challenges of reaching Jura, the experience is well worth the effort. Additionally, during the annual Islay Malt Whisky festival or by special arrangement, it is possible to visit the Port Ellen Maltings.

Visitor information:

The Isle of Jura Distillery
Craighouse
Isle of Jura PA60 7XT
Tel: +44 (0)1496-820385