Even though the distillery didn't open until 1810, the people of Jura were entitled to distill whisky for personal consumption, until a ban was introduced in 1781.

The distillery fell into disrepair, but in the 1960s two local estate owners Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith rebuilt the distillery, employing architect William Delme-Evans. By 1963 their work was complete; they had introduced taller stills allowing the distillery to create a mix of malts.

In 2006, the whisky received a Gold Quality Award from the international quality institute Monde Selection.