Wolfburn Batch 128

The Wolfburn No 128 is the first so-called ‘small batch’ (still 6000 bottles though). The name refers to the location of the maturing 100 liter casks from Woodford Reserve: warehouse 1, stow 28. The casks were filled with mildly peated (10ppm) spirit and put to sleep in 2014. The whisky is neither colored nor chillfiltered, but cut to a drinking strength of 46%.

Oh, this nose is actually quite good. Fresh and lively with loads of vanilla, breakfast pastry and some smoke. Underneath a nice hint of pipe tobacco, lime juice, young apples and heathery flowers. Quite pleasant and a serious step up from the Aurora that I recently tasted.

It is wonderfully oily and shows lots of earthy notes, followed by lemon pie, honey, all kinds of grasses and dried apricots. Aniseed? The earth is dominant, but quite charming. It gives him some matures that nicely masks the young age. Well done.

In the long finish, it becomes clear that this is a peaty malt – despite only 10ppm – making it hard for the fruit to manifest itself once more. But the pink grapefruit and lime are unmistakable. Quite spicy too.

Impressive release, actually, considering the young age. Recommended. This is actually the precursor to the Wolfburn Morven.