Founded in 1810 on the Isle of Jura, this island is 11 kms wide and 48 kms long and it has only one road, one pub and one distillery. There are seven estates on Jura with less than 200 inhabitants living in the island (while it has a red deer population of around 5000). The island still remains difficult to reach today and it is part of the Hebridean whisky trail which is a spectacular route by road and sea offering travellers an unadultered taste of the Spirit of the distilleries – Torabhaig, Isle of Raasay, Talisker and Isle of Harris.
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 distillery then re-opened after six decades in 1960 when 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. It began being sold as single malt in 1974, and the range has grown steadily thereafter.
Region: Island
Area: Isle of Jura
Current Owner: Whyte and Mackay Group (Emperador Distillers Inc)
Founded : 1810
Founder : The Campbell Family
No. of wash stills: 2
No. of spirit stills: 2
Capacity (litres): 2,200,000.00
Website: www.isleofjura.com
English