Wolfburn Northland Scotch Whisky
Wolfburn Northland Scotch Whisky is a 46% ABV (92-proof), 8-year-old Highland single malt, aged in custom re-coopered American oak quarter casks and bottled un-chill-filtered with natural colour. Distilled at Wolfburn — Scotland's northernmost mainland distillery, rebuilt at Thurso, Caithness, in 2013 on an 1821 site — and carrying a whisper of peat smoke (5 ppm), it is the distillery's signature marriage of coastal Highland character and bourbon-cask sweetness. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 46% (92 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Aging: 8 years in first-fill ex-bourbon quarter casks (custom re-coopered by the Islay Cooperage)
- Origin: Wolfburn Distillery, Thurso, Caithness — Highland, Scotland
- Production: Double-distilled, lightly peated (5 ppm), non-chill-filtered, natural colour
Scotland's Northernmost Distillery, Eight Years of Quarter-Cask Character
Wolfburn's revival story starts in 1821, pauses for over a century, and restarts in 2013 — and Northland is its calling card. Eight years in smaller quarter casks means more wood contact per litre, coaxing vanilla, toffee and toasted almond out of the ex-bourbon oak while that light peat smoke threads through. Wolfburn bottlings at 46% ABV carry more texture than standard 40% malts, and Northland's Double Gold medals at the FiftyBest (2017, 2018) plus Gold at the IWSC (2016) and World Whisky Awards (2017) mark it as one of the scotch whisky world's most decorated young distilleries.
Tasting Notes
Gentle smoke and honey on the nose with fresh-cut oak. The palate brings vanilla custard, caramelised nuts and a thread of sea air, the quarter-cask oak giving it a rounded, slightly chewy feel. The finish is medium-long — warming spice, a final wisp of peat.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a few drops of water to open the bourbon-cask sweetness. An excellent next step for bourbon drinkers crossing into Scotch, and a fine pour for anyone who finds heavily peated Islay malts too much.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Wolfburn Northland?
Wolfburn's brand site now lists Northland as an 8-year-old single malt — earlier releases carried no age statement.
Is Wolfburn Northland peated?
Lightly — 5 parts per million phenols. Expect a wisp of smoke behind the bourbon-cask sweetness, not an Islay-style smoke bomb.
What casks does Wolfburn Northland use?
First-fill ex-bourbon American oak, re-coopered into smaller quarter casks by the Islay Cooperage for deeper wood contact.
Where can I buy Wolfburn Northland online?
This 750mL bottle is available to order online at Wolfburn listings at Del Mesa Liquor — it ships from San Diego, CA.
Eight years, quarter-cask-aged, lightly peated — buy Wolfburn Northland online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.