Wolfburn Distillery Achieves Record Annual Production

Wolfburn Distillery is today delighted to announce that it has reached its annual production target – and in doing so has laid down more whisky than ever before.

“It has been an incredible year,” commented Shane Fraser, distillery manager. “We increased our workforce by taking on two apprentices, and we commissioned a fourth fermentation vessel. Combined, this means we have been able to increase our rate of production whilst maintaining excellent quality control.”

The team set itself a production target of 130,000 litres of alcohol – roughly the equivalent of 400,000 bottles of whisky. They reached the target during the first week of December, leaving valuable time for equipment maintenance before the Christmas shut-down.

“We filled a record 1,162 casks during 2016,” says Shane, “The volume is great of course, but equally important is that we have consistently managed to acquire really top-notch casks. Maintaining quality is the key to producing first-class whisky, and we have managed to do this very well throughout the whole year.”

2016 is Wolfburn’s first year of sales and the demand for its single malt scotch whisky has been much higher than expected. “We’re going to need these increased production levels to keep up with demand,” adds Shane. “Producing this volume now ensures we will have great quality single malt scotch to sell in years to come.”

Photographs:

1. Shane Fraser and Iain Kerr filling casks at Wolfburn Distillery
2. Wolfburn cartons and bottles studio image

ABOUT WOLFURN:

The original Wolfburn Distillery was founded just to the west of Thurso by William Smith in 1821. In its day it was one of the largest distilleries in Scotland, producing, according to HMRC records, 28,056 “gallons of proof spirit” in a single year. Taking its name from the stream that provided the water – the Wolf Burn – the distillery operated until the 1860s. The reasons for its closure are lost in time, but by the 1870s the newly produced Ordnance Survey maps showed it being in ruins.

In 2011 plans were laid to resurrect the old distillery. Construction began in mid-2012 and in January 2013 the new Wolfburn Distillery commenced production, thereby becoming the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland. Situated 300m from the site of the original distillery, the new Wolfburn operates in much the same way as the old: craftsmen use traditional methods to produce fine spirit, which is laid down in best quality oak casks to await the day when it is bottled as single malt scotch whisky. Wolfburn’s first expressions were launched globally in 2016.

Wolfburn Distillery, Henderson Park, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7XW

www.wolfburn.com

www.facebook.com/wolfburn