Isle of Jura Malt Whisky
June 14, 2009 by The Laird
Filed under Scotch Whisky
I have a personal interest in the Isle of Jura and know its whisky distillery so I have decided to write the history of Scotch whisky using this distillery as the main item.
Jura Malt Whisky Bottle
There were a large number of illegal whisky stills being operated on the Isle of Jura and there are signs of where some of them were situated — if you know what to look for. With the introduction of a licence fee of £10 (around 18 US dollars but an absolute fortune in 1823) just to legally set up a whisky still. In spite of this, illicit distilling still took place with some of the whisky being consumed on the Isle of Jura the rest being smuggled to the Lowlands of Scotland.
The first legal Isle of Jura distillery was built in the early 1800?s by the local Laird (the chief of the local Campbell Clan) close to a cave where it is thought illegal distilling had been taking place for years. The distillery is recorded as being able to produce 720 gallons of Scotch whisky per week.
The distillery was not operated by Campbell himself but let out to a number of others. One of the operators was James Ferguson who helped to rebuild the distillery in 1884, to make it capable of producing 64,000 gallons per year. However, shortly afterward the lease came to an end and when the Laird tried to increase the rent Ferguson shut it down dismantling and selling off all the machinery. At that stage to avoid paying any property taxes the roof was removed before being totally demolished some time later.
The present Isle of Jura Whisky distillery was built on the site of the old one in 1963, with additions in 1971. It has changed hands a number of times and is currently owned by Whyte and Mackay one of the major Scotch Whisky firms.
Note: The Isle of Jura Distillery open to the public for guided tours free of charge (at time of writing). If you are going to visit it we recommend The Jura Hotel and you can use the discount accommodation voucher we supply to all our Lairds and Ladies of Jura. Do you qualify to own land on the Isle of Jura and become the local laird? Find out now
