Wolfburn distillery is a distillery in the most northerly mainland in Scotland This region is also called the Highlands of Scotland.
Wolfburn was established in 2013 so it’s a very new Scottish distillery. Wolfburn focus on making and distilling single malt scotch whisky. They make peated and unpeated single malt whiskies.
Because it is a small distillery they have 1 spirit still land 1 wash still and produce approximately 115.000 liters annually.
The water used at the distillery comes from the stream called Wolfburn. This is where the distillery gets its name from.
The cask type used at the distillery are ex-bourbon hogsheads, quarter casks, old rum cask and ex-oloroso sherry cask. All their cask are stored in a Dunnage warehouse at the site Henderson Park.
Wolfburn Distillery has no automation and from milling through to bottling everything is done on site by hand.
Owner
Aurora Brewing
Status
Operational
Country
Scotland
Region
Highlands
Production type:
Single Malt
Founded
2013
Production yearly
115.000 Liters
History
Thurso is the most northerly town on the British mainland, but perhaps surprisingly it didn’t have a distillery for over 160 years. The first plant, called Wolfburn after the distillery water source, was opened by William Smith in 1821 and was run by the same family until 1837. In the 1820s it was the largest producer in Caithness. It appears to have closed in 1837 before David Smith ran it for one year in 1852, though there are claims that it continued intermittently into the 1860s.
The opening of 21st century Wolfburn was more of an exercise in archaeology than a process of bringing a disused plant back to life. Little more than a mound of stones showed where the original site had been. Its new owners built as close as they could to the spot – and use the same water source. The ground was broken on August 2012 and production commenced on 25 January 2013.
“Managing a distillery is of course a big responsibility, but the pinnacle of a career in malt whisky isn’t simply making one, it’s defining an entirely new spirit. ”
Shane Fraser
Distillery manager
Distillery Facts
All
Gallery Item
Heat Source:
Steam coil
Spirit Stills:
1 spirit still with 3.600 liters charge.
Wash Still:
1 wash still with a capacity of 5.500 liters
Water Source:
The Wolf Burn
Washbacks:
3 washbacks with a capacity of 9.000 liters each. Type of wash back used stainless steel.
New Make Spirit:
65-72% ABV
Filling strength will be 63.5% abv
Warehouses:
1 Dunnage warehouses (on site at Henderson Park)
The oldest cask was filled on 25.01.13- Burns Night
Yeast type:
Anchor dry yeast
Malt supplier:
Mutons, Bairds
Malt Specification:
Pot still malt, PSY 400 LPA/tonne
Taste profile
The taste profile of a typical Wolfburn will be:
Medium bodied
Medium sweetness, honey and fruity notes
Medium malty, nutty, spices
Medium smokey notes
Sometimes at Wolfburn we have the odd special cask that delivers a distinctively good whisky. Perhaps one that nature has intended to mature in its own special way or a different type of cask. To make sure these whiskies get their own stage to be shared and enjoyed we have created The Kylver Series.
Named after a burial stone that features one of the earliest examples of the Viking runic alphabet and to reflect the history of Caithness that surrounds us, The Kylver Series will grow as Wolfburn grows and chart our journey through the years ahead.
Read more
Distillery Tours
THE CLASSIC TOUR
A guided walk around the distillery with a max of 16 people
DURATION:
About 1.5 hour
COST
£10 per person and a tasting at the end of the tour.
Pre booking essential via emailing us at tours@wolfburn.com
Visitor center
OPENING TIMES
November – March
OPENING TIMES
Day
Times
Monday
10:o0
15:00
Tuesday
10:o0
15:00
Wednesday
10:o0
15:00
Thursday
10:o0
15:00
Friday
10:o0
15:00
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
April – October
OPENING TIMES
Day
Times
Monday
10:00
16:30
Tuesday
10:00
16:30
Wednesday
10:00
16:30
Thursday
10:00
16:30
Friday
10:00
16:30
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
https://youtu.be/Z9tZMs6rzu0
CONTACT DETAILS
Wolfburn Distillery
Henderson Park
Thurso
Caithness
KW14 7XW
United Kingdom
“Managing a distillery is of course a big responsibility, but the pinnacle of a career in malt whisky isn’t simply making one, it’s defining an entirely new spirit. ”
Shane Fraser
Distillery manager
