The smooth and warming flavours present in Northland come from the unhurried way in which the spirit is made, and from the maturation, which takes place in American oak quarter casks. Matured and bottled on site, Northland represents the first chapter in the history of Wolfburn.
TASTING NOTES
ON THE NOSE – Initially sweet with notes of fruit and fresh sea air. In the background you’ll find citrus freshness and hints of cereal, and just a trace of peat smoke.
ON THE PALATE – Sweet, nutty tones come to the fore, with hints of grapes and honey in the background. Floral flavours abound, enhanced with just a hint of dried fruit and spice.
FINISH – Soft sweet tones fade gradually away, overlaid with a just a trace of gentle peat smoke at the very end.
Non chill-filtered / Natural Colour
46% ABV.
70cl
Review 99 - 31st January 2021
This is a our second review of a Wolfburn Single Malt, our first being the Morven, follow the link to see that review. Both reviews were from miniatures provided as part of the Summerton Whisky Festival from 2020.
The Wolfburn Northland Single Malt Whisky is a non age statement release, presented with natural colour and non chill filtered, bottled at 46% ABV, it is widely available online and in specialist whisky retailers. For its average price we price check from 3/4 online retailers, as follows (Prices correct at the time of checking)
£46.00 from Masters of Malt
£44.95 from The Whisky Exchange
£38.95 from House of Malt
£40.00 from the Wolfburn Distillery
Giving an average price of £43.65 (Excluding the distillery price)
For its value score taken from its price and features, it achieves 94.69 out of 100. This represents great value, helped along by its strong presentation and is slighly higher than the Moven achieved.
Matured in American Oak Quarter Casks giving it a faster maturation due to a higher wood to liquid ratio, the colour is quite pale like a white wine. Like the Morven, the Northland is lighly peat smoked, so all things considered on paper, this sounds like it should be a great whisky.
On the nose; It comes across with delicate fruit, it has a sweet peat note rather than a smoke. The nose has some heather honey, the nose is quite reminiscent of a Jura 10 year old. There is some citrus appearing with a little fruit mustiness. The overriding feature is how delicate this whisky is appearing, nothing it showing itself any more potently on the nose, its well balanced. It is very much an enjoyable nose.
On the palate, it is a fresh, refreshing and sparkly dram, very summery. A great appitiser before a meal, almost an amuse bouche. It is sweet with a touch of pepper spice. It has an aromatic and floral taste, maybe heather and parma violets with that citrus from the nose. The fresh quality is mint in quality giving that palate cleansing quality. There are notes of cereal, peat leading to smoke and a sour bitter finish with a sherbert quality finish.
This is similar in a lot of ways to both the Glencadam 10 on palate and the Jura 10 the nose. The similarities to the Glencadam 10 for our mind is astonishing, its delicate but vibrant with a mix of enjoyable palate. This of course has a subtle peat smoke which the Glencadam 10 doesnt have. This dram as a aged dram of maybe 10 year old could be as good if not better than the Glencadam 10, that shows how great this dram is and could be in the future.
For an overall score we give this 87 out of 100, this would be higher if the price was a little less, the House of Malt price is closer to how much this whisky should be but including the delivery cost. We recommend this whisky as one to both try and watch.