Wolfburn Distillery, Thurso: The Northernmost on the Mainland

Overview

Wolfburn is a distillery reborn. The first Wolfburn was founded at Thurso in 1821. By 1826 it was the largest distillery in Caithness, but it fell silent in the mid-19th century and became a grassy ruin. In 2012 a small independent company won permission to build a new Wolfburn about 350 metres from the old site, beside the same stream. Production began in early 2013. The first whisky was released in March 2016, and in 2026 Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible gave the core range gold medals. It placed Wolfburn Cask Strength among the top ten whiskies in the world.

Wolfburn and 8 Doors at John o’ Groats both describe themselves as the most northerly distillery on the mainland. Wolfburn is the more westerly of the two, and 8 Doors sits a little further north.

Where it is

The distillery is in Henderson Park, on the western edge of Thurso, the most northerly town on the British mainland. It sits by the Wolf Burn stream that gives it its name. The ferry port of Scrabster, for Stromness in Orkney, is 2 miles away. Wick is about 21 miles east, John o’ Groats about 20 miles, and Inverness about 110 miles, around 2 hours 30 minutes by the A9.

The full history

1821: William Smith’s Wolfburn

William Smith founded the first Wolfburn in 1821, two years before the Excise Act opened the way to legal distilling across the Highlands. It stayed with the Smith family for several generations. Tax returns show that in 1826 it produced 28,056 gallons of proof spirit, about 125,000 litres, the largest output of any distillery in Caithness. It probably stopped production in the 1860s, though the date is uncertain. By the 20th century only grass-covered foundations remained.

2012–2013: the revival

A private consortium won planning permission in 2012 to build on Henderson Park, close to the old site. They chose to draw water from the same Wolf Burn. The new distillery was built quickly, and production began in early 2013.

Releases and awards

Bottling began in February 2016, and the inaugural Wolfburn launched in March 2016. Releases since then have included no-age-statement whiskies such as Northland, Aurora and the lightly peated Morven. The first age statement, a 10 Year Old, came in 2023, followed in 2025 by two 8 Year Olds and a 12 Year Old. The 2026 Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible gave the core range gold medals and put Wolfburn Cask Strength in its world top ten.

How it’s made

Wolfburn is a small, traditional distillery making unpeated and lightly peated malt in copper pot stills. Water comes from the Wolf Burn, and the spirit is matured mainly in bourbon and sherry casks on site, in the cool, salty air of the Pentland Firth.

Clans & the land

• Clan Sinclair, the Earls of Caithness, held Thurso for centuries. The ruins of Thurso Castle, seat of the Sinclairs of Ulbster, stand by the shore east of the town. The great Sinclair ruin of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe is near Wick.
• Clan Mackay: west of Thurso begins the Mackay country of Strathnaver, the “Reay Country”, named after the Mackay Lords Reay.
• The Norse. Thurso’s name comes from the Old Norse for “Thor’s river”. The town was an important Viking harbour under the Earls of Orkney.

Churches, stones & the coast

• Old St Peter’s Kirk, Thurso: the roofless medieval church in the old town, which may date from the 13th century, with fine window tracery.
• Achavanich standing stones, the Grey Cairns of Camster and the many brochs of Caithness are all within an hour. See our standing stones guide.
• Dunnet Head, 10 miles east, is the true northernmost point of mainland Britain, with a lighthouse and seabird cliffs.
• Inland, Loch Calder and the lochs of the Flow Country, a vast peatland and UNESCO World Heritage Site, stretch south. See our lochs guide and our Caithness page.

Visiting

Wolfburn has no visitor centre, but it runs a production tour and tasting on weekdays, lasting about 1.5 hours, by booking. Check wolfburn.com. It pairs well with the ferry to Orkney from Scrabster.

Nearby distilleries

• 8 Doors, John o’ Groats (about 20 miles).
• Old Pulteney, Wick (about 21 miles), with tours.
• Highland Park and Scapa, Orkney, via the Scrabster–Stromness ferry.

The Far North Whisky Trail and Orkney Whisky Trail link them, and the whisky hub covers every region.

Sources

• Wolfburn distillery — Wikipedia.
• Wolfburn, official site.