Wolfburn Morven

Morven is a core expression of the Wolfburn distillery at Thurso, the most northerly on the Scottish mainland. It is bottled at 46%. Everything is done by hand here, from milling to bottling, in the manner of a true small distillery.

The spirit was made by hand in copper stills at Thurso, to build a lightly peated, coastal character. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, soft oak that lets the coastal fruit lead. With no age statement, it shows a soft peat smoke over the fresh coastal fruit. Sherry wood suits the light make, lending dried fruit and a nutty depth. The stills came from Forsyths of Rothes, the most respected still maker in the business. The distillery sits among the rugged scenery of Caithness, near the cliffs and beaches of the north coast. Hand filling and hand labelling are still the rule in the warehouses here. A young distillery, Wolfburn has built a following quickly since its first single malt in 2016.

At an approachable 46% it is light and balanced. Gentle smoke, fruit and a coastal salt, and ex-Bourbon oak gives vanilla and a light apple. Beneath the smoke run apple, citrus and a soft malt. It closes on a soft smoke and a coastal fruit. This is a gently smoky Highland single malt from the far north.