Dramfool Wolfburn Peated PX Hogshead

At the forefront of the ‘new distillery’ boom, Wolfburn’s reopening from its historic Thurso forbearer, and taking its water from the same Wolf Burn (now the name makes sense!) marked a new dawn in distilling in Caithness. The original 1821 distillery closing after just 37 years in 1858, and the later decimation of the area’s tradition due to downturn of Prohibition leaving only a small number of Caithness distilleries active – perhaps most famous, Old Pulteney.

However, in 2013, after some 157 years silent, stills were back in action! The success of this most northerly of malts has been obvious. From the moment they had whisky they have been winning gold awards starting with an IWSC in 2016 for the NAS Northland.

Dramfool have long been fans of this wonderfully traditional, yet modern spirit and over the many expressions we have been lucky to try, never found one we didn’t enjoy!

Spurred on by one of Dramfool’s and Wolfburn’s biggest fans, Shetland’s own ‘Wolfburn Willie’ (trademark pending!) these bottles have come to life.

We are delighted to have been given the privilege to partner with the Wolfburn team to select their first two single cask exclusives for the UK, and in such style. You can’t ask for much more than a peated and unpeated Wolfburn, both fully matured in first fill PX casks. Bottled as we always do at cask strength 56.5%, and as Wolfburn always do without chill filtration or colouring. Exclusively from cask #41, distilled in 2017 and bottled at 7 years old and one of only 324 bottles.

Tasting notes by Bruce with some help from ‘Wolfburn Willie’;

Nose Neat: Peat smoke, black cherries, damsons, strawberries with black pepper, Elastoplast, sooty with Sellotape and blackcurrant.

Taste Neat: Extremely round and smooth, mouthcoating with peat smoke, black cherries, Ribena concentrate, dark chocolate and a sooty finish.

Nose Diluted: More peat smoke when diluted, with black cherries, damsons, strawberries with black pepper, Elastoplast, sooty with Sellotape and blackcurrant.

Taste Diluted: Sweeter with water, but a little less peat smoke. Silky smooth with black cherries and much more dark fruit flavours with a hint of liquorice.