Wolfburn Single Cask Cask #818

Wolfburn Single Cask #818, a single malt from the far north distillery at Thurso, cask 818, bottled at 58.7%. Just 308 bottles were filled. Wolfburn, at Thurso on Scotland's far north coast, revived an old Caithness distilling name when it opened in 2013. Most of the make is unpeated, with a lightly peated malt distilled since 2014 for a gentle smoke.

It was drawn off a single pair of Forsyths copper stills, for the light, fresh, maritime make Wolfburn is known for. An ex-Bourbon barrel or quarter cask shaped it, vanilla beneath the fruit. Without an age statement, it is light, coastal and fruity. Years in oak round the spirit, the fruit and a coastal salt deepening with age. The core range runs Northland, Aurora, Morven and Langskip, names drawn from the far north. The Kylver Series gathers single casks named for the runes of an ancient Caithness stone. Water is drawn from the Wolf Burn, the stream that runs past the distillery to the sea.

At its natural 58.7% it is concentrated. A crisp, coastal fruit, and the bourbon cask adds vanilla and a gentle sweetness. 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.