Wolfburn Vibrant Stills 7 Years Old 2013

A Wolfburn single malt, a 7 year old from 2013, bottled at 50%. Just 1100 bottles were filled. Founded in 2013, Wolfburn is a small, hand run distillery at Thurso in Caithness. The original Wolfburn was founded in 1821 by William Smith and was once the largest distillery in Caithness, falling silent in the 1860s.

The spirit was run through the distillery's one wash and one spirit still, for a clean, fruity make. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. Around six to nine years the fruit deepens into honey, apple and a soft spice. Refill oak lets the fresh, fruity distillery character lead. It is the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland, a stop on the North Coast 500. Everything here is done by hand, from milling to bottling, the mark of a true small distillery. Most of the make is unpeated, with a lightly peated malt distilled since 2014 for a soft smoke.

At a full 50% it is bold and fruity. Pear, honey and a clean malt, and the Pedro Ximenez lends raisin, date and treacle. It is fresh and fruity, the fruit and oak well matched. The finish is bright, fruity and coastal. This is a bright young single malt from Caithness.