What is the process for producing Isle of Jura Whisky?

There are a number of different stages involved in the production of Scotch whisky in particular

a) Malting the barley

b) Milling and mashing the barley

c) Fermentation

d) Distillation

e) Maturation/aging whisky

f) Bottling

Each of them in turn affecting the overall taste and quality of the finished drink and each stage will be considered here separately. We will also be considering the taste of each of the whisky brands produced by the Isle of Jura distillery.

The main ingredients of Scotch Whisky is water and barley (the latter being malted prior to being delivered to the distillery). These two ingredients plus the special care given to the whole process influence the taste more than anything else.

The Isle of Jura Whisky Distillery does not malt its own whisky but buys it in to exact specifications from a malting plant. This leaves the malting process in the hands of malting specialists and allows the distillery managers to concentrate on what they are specialist at doing.

Malting is simply the process of steeping the barley in water until germination and small shoots start to appear. The enzymes produced during this stage converts the starch in the barley into sugars which can later ferment into alcohol. Germination is then stopped by heating in a malt kiln. Many Scotch whisky distilleries use a peat fire at this stage to add a peat flavour to the barley and consequently to the taste of the whisky produced from it.

Except for about three weeks a year when it is making its Superstition brand the Isle of Jura distillery does not use the heavy peated barley so producing much lighter tasting whisky. If you visit the Isle of Jura distillery on one its free tours (weekdays by appointment) you will be offered an opportunity to see the three different barleys used in the distillery.

Just as there is little peat in the barley used by the Isle of Jura distillery it also uses a very soft water throughout. This water is taken from a local spring named Bhaile Mhargaidh (literally spring of the market town) that has flowed down from the hillside over rock rather than peat and is hence clearer in colour and purer in taste. It is believed that this same spring water has been used in making illicit whisky since the sixteenth century.