The whisky distillery in Craighouse, founded around 1810 and brought back to life by the islanders in 1963.
The Jura Distillery stands in Craighouse, the island's only village, a long whitewashed building on the shore of Small Isles Bay with its name painted large across the gable.
The Campbells of Jura built the first distillery here around 1810, when its whisky was peaty; it was rebuilt in 1884, but in the early 1900s it was dismantled and left in ruins.
Around 1950 a few islanders decided to bring it back to give Jura work, and the new distillery, built on the same site from some of the old buildings, opened in 1963, employing a quarter of the island's working men. The whisky it makes now is less peaty, with more of a Highland character. The shop sells the Jura single malts and is open from Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. Tours of the stills and of Warehouse No. 1, among the casks, are booked online; children must be at least eight. It is a short walk from the Craighouse ferry pontoons.
Distillery shop: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm; closed at weekends.
Tours, including the Warehouse No. 1 tasting, are booked online; children must be 8 or over. Telephone 01496 820385.
Opening hours
The distillery was founded in 1810 and lay in ruins by the early 1900s. Two landowners, a blender and a distillery designer rebuilt it to bring work to the island, and when it reopened in 1963 it employed a quarter of the men on Jura.
That height is the reason the whisky is light. The manager puts it plainly: the tall stills and the copper stop the heavier flavours from reaching the top.
The loch lies in the hills above Craighouse, half an hour on foot past a big waterfall. The manager walks up once a month to check it, and says there is not a house to be seen from the loch side.
When the present manager started on the night shift in 1991, about four fifths of what Jura made was sold on to be mixed into other whiskies. In 2019 the distillery made 2.3 million litres, and all of it was for Jura single malt.
That is around fifty visitors for every person who lives on the island.
New places, news and stories, as we find them.
What is on on JuraCraighouse, Isle of Jura, PA60 7XG.
Jura GuidedGuided walks on Jura with an islander, from a shore walk to the long day out to Barnhill and Corryvreckan.Under a mile1 min by road
CraighouseJura's one village, strung along Small Isles Bay, with the distillery, the hotel, the shop and the pier.Under a mile1 min by road
The Jura Hotel RestaurantThe family-run hotel in Craighouse, with a restaurant over the Sound of Jura and the island's only pub.Under a mile1 min by road
Jura Community ShopJura's community-run shop and post office in Craighouse, stocking everyday needs and Wild Jura venison.Under a mile1 min by road
Deer Island DistilleryJura's rum distillery, at the Pier Garage in Craighouse, making a spiced rum since 2021.Under a mile1 min by road
Corran SandsA long sweep of pale sand at the head of Small Isles Bay near Craighouse, sheltered, shallow and under the Paps of Jura.5 miles7 min by roadEvery photograph commissioned, every word written by somebody who went. Printed twice a year, made in Scotland.
For further reading, before you go.
