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Award-winning Caithness distillery on hard graft, growing sales and gold awards

The Thurso whisky maker is also set to release its first 12-year-old single malt next year.

Wolfburn Distillery manager Iain Kerr. Image: Wolfburn Distillery
Wolfburn Distillery manager Iain Kerr. Image: Wolfburn Distillery

An award-winning Caithness distillery has high hopes for its future after “soldiering through” the past few years.

Wolfburn Distillery in Thurso is the most northerly whisky distillery on the Scottish mainland.

It celebrated its 10th birthday last year by releasing its first age-statement dram and is set to follow it up with a 12-year-old single malt.

Now, distillery manager Iain Kerr believes the team’s decade or more of “hard graft” is paying off with a rise in sales.

A toast to the future at Wolfburn Distillery

Mr Kerr has spent more than 25 years in the whisky trade, having previously worked at Balmenach, Allt a Bhainne, and Glenlivet distilleries.

He has high hopes for the future of Wolfburn and its sales figures after enduring “tough” Covid-hit years.

Mr Kerr said: “We soldiered through and since then have seen sales grow beautifully.

“It’s lovely to see the brand going from strength to strength. Last year we launched our first age-statement release, a 10-year-old.

“It’s a reflection of a decade or more of hard graft and of never letting our standards slip.

King Charles III, then Duke of Rothesay, during a visit to Wolfburn Distillery in Caithness in 2019, the most northerly whisky distillery on the Scottish mainland. Image: Michal Wachucik/PA Wire

“Not just for myself but for the whole production team. It’s never easy making something so uncompromisingly excellent.”

Wolfburn was one of Scotland’s largest distilleries until it shut in the 1860s. Production returned to a site less than 400 yards away in January 2013 – releasing its first bottle since return in 2016.

Like its predecessor, the current operation draws water from the nearby Wolf Burn.

The distillery is on track to release a new aged single malt scotch next year and Mr Kerr believes its a “huge milestone” in the industry.

He added: “We’re aiming to make Wolfburn a very smooth, aromatic and pleasing whisky to drink­. So far the results have been absolutely excellent­.

“So many folks from all around the world are enjoying our whiskies and spreading the word.”

The Whisky Bible

The Thurso distillery has also been recognised with three gold medals in the latest edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

Its sherry-cask 10-year-old, lightly-peated Morven, and cask-strength Langskip all picked up gold medals.

Mr Kerr believes the endorsements will add to what the future holds for the whisky maker and its staff.

He said: “In recent years we have won many prestigious awards. But Jim Murray is by some margin the most influential industry critic.

“For him to award us three gold medals like this is almost unparalleled.

The distillery’s Morven Whisky. Image: Wolfburn Distillery

“I’m immensely proud of the distillery team – they’re the unsung heroes behind these gold medal awards.”

Mr Murray is known as one of the world’s more renowned whisky experts.

His Whisky Bible has sold more than one million copies and Mr Murray believes he has visited more distilleries globally than anyone else.

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