This is the first release ever from the new Wolfburn distillery, a 3 year-old from bourbon barrels and some quarter casks that previously held peated Islay whisky.
The distillery was founded in 1821 in Caithness, the very north of Scotland’s mainland, closed down in the 1860s and recently rebuilt at 350m from the ruins of the original distillery. I remember people were talking about the construction works at Wolfburn when I visited the nearby Old Pulteney in 2012. The first spirit was distilled in January 2013, three years ago.
This single malt is produced with local ingredients, long fermentation and slow distillation, with water that is rich in minerals. There has been a luxury 875-bottle inaugural release as well, the same whisky in a silk-screen printed bottle and a wooden box for € 270.
Wolfburn single malt
(46%, OB 2016, 62.000 btl.)
Nose: shows its mashy, porridgy side first, but it quickly picks up freshness and starts showing a much fruitier side. Pears, green apples and lemon candy. The freshness of sea spray as well. Nice mix of sweet vanilla biscuits and sharper ginger. It keeps getting brighter. A little fennel, mint and chalk as well.
Mouth: again bright, sweet but also fairly acidic and feisty, with plenty of lemony notes and a grassy touch. Hints of raw (grape) spirit / tequila as well as a slight floral note and wood spices like green pepper. An echo of smoke indeed, together with some roasted coffee and tobacco. It can’t hide its youth but it shows potential.
Finish: rather short, mainly just a spicy heat with hints of almonds.
This first Wolfburn is young of course but it’s nice to see they didn’t try to hide that with uncommon finishes. Good start for this new distillery. Around € 60.
Score: 81/100