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Wolfburn Aurora Single Malt Single Malt Whisky

£28.125£56.25Clearance
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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”). No partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship is created as a result of your use of the Service. 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. 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”).

Unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise, your use of and membership to the Service are exclusively governed by Dutch law. We shall first try to settle any dispute over a dram of whisky. Disputes that cannot be settled over multiple drams of whisky shall be solely submitted to the court of Amsterdam, The Netherlands unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise. Nose: The malt presence, again, is front and center with notes of buttery croissant, pineapple, honey dew melon, and horsehide leather. I’m not an archaeologist but if I was a wide-eyed 10 year old again, daydreaming of my ideal job (pilot was scratched out due to colour blindness), it would be near the top of the list. If any provision of these Terms is held invalid, the remainder of the Terms shall continue in full force and effect. 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.Appearance: Pale straw color with hasty, unrefined legs. The beading of this whisky is more encouraging. Even still, it lurks in my glass like some untamed elemental spirit.

Wolfburn Aurora was released in 2016 from 3 year-old Wolfburn malt aged in a variety of casks. Reportedly, this means 40% of the whisky was aged in second-fill quarter casks, 40% in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, and the remaining 20% in first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads. I believe those quarter casks originally held Islay malt (the first Wolfburn whisky was aged in ex-Islay quarter casks), although I don’t detect any peat, so maybe these are different quarter casks. The whisky is not chill-filtered, and has no added color. It is bottled at 46% ABV. The Internet calls this craft presentation, and dogma aside it’s a good idea all around.

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Following an innocuous question in the Dramface writer’s chat, Wally piped up and wished to provide his thoughts on this Wolfburn cask strength timecapsule. 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. You are responsible for all activities through your account. You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide to us in relation to your account, and for updating it where necessary. You are not allowed to create multiple accounts. We may terminate or temporarily suspend your account to protect you, ourselves or our partners from (suspected) identity theft or other (suspected) fraudulent (e.g. false, misleading, deceptive) activity. You have the obligation to keep your login credentials confidential. You shall not authorize any others to use or access your account.

Wolfburn's story would remain silent for almost 150 years until 2011 when a private consortium, Aurora Brewing Ltd, sought to re-establish and rebuild the distillery within short proximity to its original buildings (only parts of ruins remain). The distillery was then designed and built over the next two years before production finally commenced on 25th January 2013, Burn's Night. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Nose: Resinous, slightly rancid sherry with some tannic red wine. Beneath that, red berries and caramel malt. A rest in the glass disperses the rancidity and somewhat brightens the fruits.The distillery primarily produces unpeated spirit but since 2014 has also produced peated batches. Its production strictly adheres to long fermentations and slow distillations ot craft a smooth but characterful spirit. 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. 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. Great body and weight on arrival, first few sips neat are gloopy; much to like. Things are hot and sour though, so pause and return. 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.

In another NAS/younger whisky comparison, I splashed some Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dha into another glass as the Ardbeg might have been too peated for a comparison. Now this was an interesting and more apt comparison. The Wolfburn was rounder, sweeter, and less harsh on the nose than the Bunna, surprising given the ABV difference. On the palate, the ABV of the Wolfburn is more present although the mouthfeel is far more syrupy and sweet whereas the Bunna was thinner, more bitter, and peatier. If you like your peated and sherried Bunnahabhain, then you should be paying attention to these equivalent releases from Wolfburn. Stay tuned for a forthcoming review of Bunna’s Toiteach A Dha as well. 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. 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. 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. Adding water doesn’t expose a single element but rather just tames the whole experience down. It is refreshing to have a whisky that follows the nose through to the palate, providing a harmonious experience.

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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. With Water: A few drops of water wake up the sherry a bit – adding fruit – and also round out the vanilla sweetness in the aroma. The palate also seems fuller and more dynamic. Water highly recommended with this one. 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. If we decide not to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms, such decision shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. 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.

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