Wolfburn Distillery, Thurso: The Northernmost on the Mainland

Overview

Wolfburn, at Thurso, is one of the most northerly distilleries on the Scottish mainland — pipped for the title only by 8 Doors at John O’Groats — a small, independent operation making a lightly-peated, coastal Highland malt that has quickly earned a good reputation since it opened in 2013.

The history

There was an original Wolfburn distillery here from 1821, once the largest in Caithness, but it closed in the 1860s and vanished. The name was revived in 2013 when a new distillery was built a few hundred metres from the old ruins, drawing on the same burn.

The water & the land

Wolfburn takes its water from the Wolf Burn — the same source the original 1821 distillery used.

Wolfburn had no founding clan — it is a modern commercial revival at Thurso, in Caithness — historic Clan Sinclair (Earls of Caithness) country.

Visiting

Wolfburn has no visitor centre as such, but runs a 1.5-hour production tour and tasting by booking, typically on weekdays — book ahead; check the website. It’s a natural stop at the very top of the mainland, near the Orkney ferry.

Nearby & more whisky

• Highland — the region overview
• The other Caithness distillery: Old Pulteney at Wick
• The whole picture: Scotch whisky — the full guide

Sources

• Wolfburn distillery — Wikipedia.
• Wolfburn Distillery.