Nestled just outside Thurso, the most northerly town on the UK mainland, Wolfburn Distillery produces exceptional Highland single malt whisky, and it should definitely be included in your itinerary if you are touring whisky distilleries in Scotland, as it is only a 25 minute drive from Celtic Lodges.
The origins of Wolfburn go all the way back to 1821. A ‘burn’ is a widely used Scottish word for a small stream, and the original distillery used this water source in the production of whisky. Wolves were commonly sighted back in previous centuries, and they were even thought to have a mythical relative – the sea-wolf.
Records from the early 19th century show that at the time Wolfburn Distillery was the largest in Caithness, producing roughly 125,000 litres of whisky! However, by 1858, Wolfburn had closed its doors, with its stills and mash tun sold off at auction. Nowadays, what remains of the original site is down to the foundations. The modern-day distillery opened in 2013 and is just a short walk from the original site.
Wolfburn has a core range of six whiskies in production, plus additional small batch releases and the Klyver Series which are based on the Viking Runic alphabet and currently has 15 whisky releases.
In just over a decade of whisky production, Wolfburn have won many awards, including several prestigious World Whisky Awards.
There’s no visitor centre at Wolfburn Distillery, so during your tour you will be very close to working machinery and the inner workings of the whisky making process. Tours operate six days a week (closed Sundays) between April and September, and weekdays only October to March.
A classic ninety minute tour (£19.50 for adults, £9.50 for 16-17 year olds, free for 6-15 year olds) with the Wolfburn team includes a tasting of 5 core range Wolfburn whiskies, and a premium tour (£40 for adults, £15 for 16-17 year olds, free for 6-15 year olds) lasting two hours offers tutored tastings of 3 limited or rare edition whiskies in addition to the core range.
Wolfburn Distillery is situated 1.5 miles west of Thurso. It’s most convenient to drive but is also walkable from the town. For further information or to book one of their Distillery Tours visit the website.
When visiting the Wolfburn Distillery you can also explore the town of Thurso:
- Visit Old St Peters Kirk – a ruined church dating back to the 12th Century and the oldest building in Thurso.
- The North Coast Visitor Centre is an amazing museum based in the old town hall and dedicated to the history of the local area, including an exhibition on Dounreay nuclear power plant, which is now in a decommissioning stage. There is also information about The Flow Country and visiting art exhibitions.
- There are lots of choices for enjoying food and drink in Thurso, with cafes, bakeries, hotels, takeaways, restaurants, pubs and bars to choose from. There are also restaurants and pubs in nearby Scrabster. Look at our Food and Drink Guide to see many of the different options available.
- Thurso is a very walkable town. You can walk inland following the riverside path, or find the promenade walk and coastal path, starting from the harbour, passing Thurso Beach and heading towards Scrabster which is where the ferry departs if you are planning any Orkney Trips.
- If you’re looking for more of an adrenaline rush and are not deterred by cold water, people do pop to Thurso Beach for a swim. For experienced surfers, Thurso East is a very popular surfing spot due to the long, hollow waves that break there.
- If you are looking to experience some live music, a weekly informal Trad night in Manor House (Janet Street) sees musicians gather to play some tunes (Wednesdays from 8pm). Visitors and their instruments are always welcome to join in the fun, or you can just sit back and enjoy!
- Thurso also has a 5 screen cinema for you to watch the latest movie releases, and a swimming pool & gym if you’re looking to keep active during your stay. It also hosts the most northerly ParkRun on the UK Mainland (Saturday mornings), on Thurso’s riverside.
