Wolfburn Northland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

About Wolfburn Northland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The original Wolfburn Distillery was founded in 1821 by William Smith, on the outskirts of Thurso in Caithness, Scotland. The distillery took its name from the watercourse it drew from, “burn” being the Scottish word for stream or small river. As Smith invested heavily in the distillery, it became a significant enterprise for the region — tax records for the 19th century show it was the largest producer of malt whisky in Caithness. The distillery was kept in the Smith family until at least the 1850s, when records become scarce and it’s estimated that production began to cease (a survey map from 1972 depicts the distillery in ruin).

After 150 years of neglect, a group of private investors stumbled upon the old Wolfburn Distillery in May, 2011 — seeing massive potential, the investor began to rebuild the distillery from the ground up. The new Wolfburn Distillery, which, by law, must use water sourced from the same steam used centuries ago, is crafting unpeated malt whisky from a blank canvas through old-fashioned pot-still distillation; no automation, no rush and a lot of care.

Master Distiller Shane Fraser, formerly of Glenfarclas, says, “My very first thoughts on what kind of spirit Wolfburn should be were that it should be a light and fragrant spirit. This would come about by a number of key processes; slow drainage of the mash tun to give a clear wort; long fermentations and a gentle distillation but keeping the spirit collection above 20°C. When I first nosed the spirit I was very pleased and surprised at just how well it had turned out.”

Aged in quarter casks of American oak, Wolfburn Northburn Single Malt Scotch Whisky has a light, inviting aroma of pear, vanilla, clove and smoked wood. The palate begins with floral hints of cherry blossom, and continues to surprise with notes of mint, lemon and cracked pepper. The finish is long, oily and slightly smoky.

According to Dave Broom at Scotch Whisky Magazine, “I’ve been impressed with Wolfburn’s quality from the word go and this doesn’t disappoint.”

Pick up an impressive whisky today!