Wolfburn Distillery

There is a clear and simple parallel between the journey it takes to manufacture single malt whisky and the journey to get to Thurso, the location of Wolfburn distillery. It’s a hell of a way to travel and only those with real commitment will make it, be that driving up the A9 or patiently waiting for spirit in oak casks to mature.

Wolfburn took the accolade of being the northern most Scotch mainland distillery from Old Pulteney, a fact which, for a new distillery vying for attention, is a nice opening gambit to have. It also works for slightly unimaginative blog posts too.

Wolfburn began producing spirit in 2013 and as such has legal whisky to sell. It is also leading the pack (no pun intended) in terms of post-2010 start-ups, with the brand being established soon after the whisky hit the magic 3 years with an inaugural release.

The general problem for any new distillery is of course when to start selling. Money very much is an object in most cases and Wolfburn is no different. Whilst (to my knowledge) no spirit was bottled, there are now three core expressions of Wolfburn, as well as some special editions that have been released.

The name Wolfburn leans heavily on the past of the site, with the original Wolfburn distillery opening in 1821. Production ceased in 1837, recommenced for one year in 1852 before being closed for good. The new distillery is 350m from the original site (although there is nothing left of the former distillery) and takes its water from the same source, the Wolf Burn.

The current distillery is not the most picturesque. It is located within a couple of large warehouses on an industrial estate just outside Thurso. Still, it’s what’s inside that counts and I went to find out what they’re doing at Wolfburn in June this year.

With the all the equipment in one room, it’s easy to follow the process of barley coming in and passing through the mill and 1.1 tonnes of grist heading into the mash tun. 6 hours later, the sweet worts head to one of three washbacks, each containing up to 5,500 litres. Between 55-72 hours is spent fermenting with dry yeast before the wash is ready to be distilled. One pair of stills produces around 3,500 litres a week.

Whilst every distillery tour will explain how the Scots don’t like anything to go to waste when it comes to the by-products of distillation, Wolfburn have another upcycled item with the distillery’s water tank being from the now closed Caperdonich distillery, where it functioned as a wash back. It also serves as an excellent example of the differences in scale between a modern start up and a 1960/70s blend workhorse.

All the spirit is matured in dunnage style warehouses on site. During my tour, it was mentioned that distillery manager Shane Fraser was keen on producing a classic bourbon matured malt, perhaps having overdosed on sherry maturation at his previous job at Glenfarclas. The current standard releases feature either peat or sherry influence, so it may be a matter of waiting a bit longer before a solely bourbon matured Wolfburn is ready to be released.

At the distillery I was given samples of the first release, now named Northland, the second titled Aurora, the limited release of Batch 128 and the latest addition, Morven. All the whiskies come with no age statement, but it is not really a secret that they are all around the 3-4 year old mark.

Northland – 46% – £50

Matured for around three and a half years in ex-Islay quarter casks

Nose – definitely youthful, but mellowed enough from time in the cask to not be overly harsh. Earthy peat from the ex-Islay quarter casks that are used. A little almond and ripe pear as well as cheap vanilla ice cream (not in a bad way, rather a reminds me of childhood way). A final dash of sea salt and lemon rind. 6.5

Palate – more salt and vanilla. Again, spirit led which, with the salt, creates a slightly harsh mouthfeel. It does settle down with time and some apple and pear comes through, with a touch of nutmeg. 5.5

Finish – green apple skin, salt and subtle peat. 5

Total Score: 17 / 30

Whilst the Northland is matured in quarter casks, it’s not a turbo charged, cask led whisky. The spirit has its say alongside the wood. It feels like this is a good marker for things to come, showing how the flavours may develop for older bottlings.

Aurora – 46% – £50

The Aurora expression is matured in 40% second fill ex-Islay quarter casks made from Spanish and American oak; 40% in first fill ex-bourbon barrels and 20% in first fill oloroso sherry hogsheads.

Nose- a little harsh, spirit driven but quiet dense and heavy. Mint dark chocolate and coffee. A hint of vanilla and smoke lingers in the background. 6

Palate – more gentle than the nose, less brash about its youth. Subtle and mouth coating, with a light sherry influence adding to some classic ex-bourbon flavours. Dark fruit cake covered in chocolate. Spices appear towards the finish, cinnamon and cardamom. 6.5

Finish- lip smacking, a little spirity again and the mint returns. 6

Total Score: 18.5 / 30

I found the nose is a little harsh and less sherry influenced than I expected. The palate offers more flavours to enjoy though.

Batch No. 128 – 46% – £80

A limited release of 6,000 bottles with spirit matured in small 100 litre first fill ex-bourbon casks. The name references the location of the casks: warehouse 1, row 28.

Nose – typically bourbon with vanilla, coconut and gorse flower, backed up by soft fudge and a little lemon. The youthful spirit is tempered slightly be a whiff of peat. There is a creamy element alongside some orange. The malt is still present too. 7

Palate – sweet, malty and smokey. The smoke is much more prominent here than on the nose. It is dry wood smoke rather than anything typically Islay-esque. Some green apple hidden behind the smoke, as well as a continuation of the nose with some vanilla and coconut in particular. A little salt. 7.5

Finish – short, with apples, honey and smoke. 6

Total Score: 20.5 / 30

A pleasant whisky, one that is dominated by bourbon flavours, but hey, that’s the point. The youthful spirit works well with peat and bourbon maturation, it’s an easy drinking expression.

Morven – 46% – £50

A lightly peated expression, with the barley taken to around 10ppm.

Nose – ashy smoke, quite similar to the 128, but a little stronger perhaps. Bourbon cask influence once again with vanilla, gorse flower, fudge and almond. A bit citrus, moving between orange and lemon. After a while, the smoke recedes, allowing the sweeter to flavours to come through a bit more creating a lovely balance. 8

Plate – more sweet vanilla, salt and a peat smoke note that grows throughout to a roaring finish. Like the 128, the bourbon cask flavours from the nose are repeated, more coconut fudge and a little citrus. 8

Finish – the heavier peat notes fade, leaving a sweet smoke. 7.5

Total Score: 23.5 / 30

Compared to the rest of the range, there are no obvious spirit notes here, perhaps the peat in the malt helps mask these a little. The peat is better integrated in Morven and of course works well with ex-bourbon maturation. This is my pick from the Wolfburn core range.

That pretty much covers all that Wolfburn has to offer, apart from the special Kylver releases which are by design limited and occupy the more premier end of the price scale (the third release has just recently hit the shelves). Tasted all together, there is consistency in quality and flavour across the range. By today’s standards, Wolfburn seem quite content to keep doing what they’re doing, without a vast array of releases or constant fanfare. As the first casks filled at the distillery turned five years old yesterday, it seemed appropriate to look back to an enjoyable afternoon in Thurso.