Wolfburn Aurora Single Malt Single Malt Whisky

Product Information

Finish: On the short side. Cane sugar (molasses), and mild oak tannins. Fades vaguely, without resolution. Of the small clutch of bottles that Wolfburn Aurora sits among, it is by far the lightest. A bright straw colour that would probably twinkle beautifully in the sunlight if the sunlight ever managed to enter my office on a grey winter day. On the nose the straw freshens, becoming meadow-like and there’s lots of sweet sherry too: it smells clean, light and immediately approachable. Regardless of whether the Service offers the functionality to contribute, you are solely responsible and liable for any content and information that you create, upload, post, publish, link to, duplicate, transmit, record, display or otherwise make available on the Service or to other Members, such as chat messages, text messages, videos, audio, audio recordings, music, pictures, photographs, text and any other information or materials, whether publicly posted or privately transmitted (“Contributions”). As a 5pm whisky, Aurora has hit the spot: it’s delicate, easy to drink, sweetly delicious and gently warming. The heavier hitting whisky miniatures will be steadily consumed in front of the fire during cold evenings but the half-dram-bottle of Aurora I’m left with stays on the office desk – I’m sure it will come in handy the next time the heater fails to do its job.

Nose: The malt presence, again, is front and center with notes of buttery croissant, pineapple, honey dew melon, and horsehide leather.Nothing in the Terms shall exclude or limit our liability for fraudulent misrepresentation or for death or personal injury resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct by us. Whiskybase B.V. (“Whiskybase”, “we” or “us”, company details below) offers a whisky enthusiasts online platform that provides its members access to the most comprehensive, transparent and trusted resource of whisky bottles and allows and stimulates its members to contribute information about whisky bottles to the platform (“Service”). How long until they are bought by a mega conglomerate and closed shortly thereafter during a downturn because of economic pressures? Or are they an independently-owned distillery that just can’t operate due to high consumable prices due to the inability to obtain bulk pricing for raw ingredients, barrels, or even bottles? How will we, as consumers, remember or discover the secrets of these closed distilleries? Fortunately for us, the products of these distilleries are relatively inert and shelf-stable, allowing us to preserve their time capsules for future study. We can observe them in their natural habitats today, storing away samples for comparisons against future quality or market conditions.

Every fibre of my being wants to give this a 7, but I falter. Only because there are still edges here that don’t bring it quite up to a “Very Good Indeed” rating. Not quite. Not yet. But close. The gamble on this 7yo paid off. It doesn’t make the permashelf, but it gets me keen for more from this relative newbie. I want to celebrate that one of our most recent producers is now able to release core expressions with a decent age statement. It’s all natural too. I think it’s the richest, fullest and most complete expression I’ve tried and it’s finding its own, unique vibe and profile.This was an interesting one. It didn’t compare well with the Aurora (not a surprise given the peated and unpeated comparison) so I poured a few other drams alongside to provide some relative comparisons for you.

Wolfburn are already carving a reputation out for themselves as new distillers to watch after just a few years. Their Aurora bottling is a combination of American oak casks and ex-sherry casks. A fruity, spicy treats from the Scottish Highlands. I’ve been writing a lot about whisky lately and right now my office is scattered with 30ml miniature bottles of golden booze. Lots of Scottish whisky, Japanese whisky and all kinds of American bourbons and ryes, along with miniatures from more unlikely countries such as France and South Africa. I’m pretty good at avoiding the temptation to sip my way through them while working during the day, although the current cold snap is pushing that temptation to the limit.That single connection, though, is a powerful link. The pH and mineral profile of water has considerable impact on the eventual taste of a whisky. In the case of Wolfburn, its namesake river is situated in the far north of Scotland. By just drawing the same water for fermentation, these new distillers will be capturing an essential element of what would have made the older Wolfburn what it was. Inspired by Broddy I sipped alongside an Ardmore and eventually a Lagavulin. It turned into a nice evening, with this 7yo showing hazelnut and honey sweetness and a richer note compared to the others. I pour another and things get fuller as the sourness subsides a little. In summary; lemons, apples and farmyard with a very soft smoke.

Honey, a touch of indistinct sherry sweetness, walnuts, and dry grass. It’s a light nose and not overcooked with sherry, as exemplified by the light colour. Aurora, a late 2016 release, was made from spirit laid down in a combination of American oak and Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. 40% was aged in second-fill quarter casks, 40% was aged in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, and the remaining 20% was aged in first-fill Oloroso Sherry hogsheads. Aurora is also three years of age.

LANGSKIP

Confidentially, I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a whisky this young. Bruichladdich’s “PC” series grabbed my fancy from 2007-2014. PC6, PC7, and PC8 were quite good, although PC12 was a personal favorite. So you see, I’m not an ageist. Fiery young flames can be as satisfying as mature age statements. To my sense of decorum, however, there is a limit as to how young is acceptable. Seven years of age is usually the youngest I will go with a single malt, but there are always exceptions. Maybe it was somewhat coincidental with the release of the first Jurassic Park movie, or the romance implied from childhood books, I definitely considered it. I’m sure some of you did as well, fantasising about scratching away at old relics, elucidating their hidden secrets, and discovering amazing hidden gems. This is much the same way as I view ourselves right now. We are in the Golden Age of whisky, where new distilleries doing new things are popping up all over the world, awaiting a firm-brimmed and khaki-clad explorer to stumble upon their elixir, before shouting about their discovery to the world.