Wolfburn The Kylver Series – 5

This is release 5 of Wolfburn's Kylver Series, its single cask bottlings, named Raidho for a Norse rune., bottled at 50%. Set on the wild Caithness coast at Thurso, Wolfburn has made single malt since 2013. It is the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland, on the North Coast 500 at Thurso.

Distilled by hand in a single pair of copper stills on Wolf Burn water, building the fresh far north style. A sherry cask wrapped the light spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Without an age statement, it is light, coastal and fruity. Quarter casks, smaller than usual, speed the exchange between spirit and wood. The far north air, salt laden and cool, lends the maturing spirit a coastal edge. The original Wolfburn, founded in 1821 by William Smith, was once the largest distillery in Caithness before falling silent in the 1860s. The new distillery stands about 350 metres from the old ruins, sharing the Wolf Burn that names them both.

Bottled at a cask strength 50%, it is intense. A light, citrussy fruitiness, and sherried dried fruit and a nutty edge come through. Soft orchard fruit and honey sit behind the cask. The close is fresh, fruit over a clean oak. This is the light coastal malt of Thurso.