Wolfburn whisky distillery
Wolfburn sits on the windswept edge of Thurso in Caithness, making it the northernmost mainland malt distillery in Scotland. It takes both its name and its water from the Wolf Burn, the small stream that runs past the site (burn being the Scots word for a stream).
The name is far older than the modern buildings which date to only 2011-2013. The original Wolfburn distillery was founded in 1821 by William Smith and quickly grew into the largest whisky producer in Caithness. Tax records from 1826 show an annual output of some 28,000 gallons of proof spirit, roughly 125,000 litres. That first distillery fell silent around 1860 and had crumbled to ruins within a generation, its stills and mash tun long since sold off at auction.
The name lay dormant for more than 150 years until a new distillery was built just a short walk along the burn from the old site. Planning began in 2011 and the first spirit ran from the stills in January 2013, making Wolfburn one of the early arrivals in the modern wave of new Scottish distilleries. Production is overseen by distillery manager Shane Fraser, who came north after years at Royal Lochnagar, Oban and Glenfarclas.
The distillery is deliberately small and traditional: a 1.1-tonne mash tun, four stainless-steel washbacks and a single pair of copper pot stills (a 5,500-litre wash still and a 3,600-litre spirit still). The first commercial single malt was released in 2016, and the core range has since settled into four expressions: Northland (ex-bourbon American oak), Aurora (Oloroso sherry casks), the lightly peated Morven, and Langskip, a higher-strength bottling drawn from bourbon casks. The first age-statement release, a 10 Year Old, followed in 2023.
Independently owned and still modest in scale, Wolfburn has built a strong reputation in a short time, and remains a fixture for visitors travelling Scotland’s North Coast 500 route.
Wolfburn factsheet
| Name | Pronounced | AKA | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfburn | Highlands | ||
| Country of Origin | Status | Active | Whisky Type |
| Scotland | Active | 2012 - Present | Malt |
| Website | Tours Available | Owned by | Parent Group |
| Wolfburn | Not Available | Aurora Brewing Ltd (independent) |
Wolfburn Timeline:
1821: Original Wolfburn Distillery founded by William Smith near Thurso, Caithness
1826: Tax records show production of ~125,000 L at the original site
1850: Original distillery ceases operation in 1850-60
1872: Distillery is marked as ruins by 1872
2011: Planning and revival begins near the original location
2013: New Wolfburn Distillery opens and production begins
2016: First commercial releases of the modern Wolfburn Single Malt range
Useful Wolfburn links:
Interesting Wolfburn links:
Can I tour Wolfburn?
Yes Wolfburn distillery is tourable. On Trip Advisor the distillery has been rated as excellent by 76 of 83 tours to date. This gives Wolfburn an overall rating of 5.0
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