Wolfburn The Kylver Series 1st Release
70cl / 46%
£279.00
- Region:
- Chilfiltered: No
- Coloring: No
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This limited first edition captures the nascent spirit of the reborn Wolfburn distillery, steeped in Caithness history and Viking heritage.
| Field | Details |
| Distillery / Bottler / Country & Region | Wolfburn Distillery / Distillery Bottling (DB) / Highland, Scotland |
| Category | Single Malt Scotch Whisky |
| Age / Vintage / Bottled | 3 Years Old / Spirit distilled 2013-2015 / Bottled August 2016 |
| ABV & Size(s) | 46.0% ABV / 70cl |
| Cask / Treatment | Ex-Bourbon Casks |
| Natural Colour | Yes (Standard Wolfburn house style) |
| Non-Chill-Filtered | Yes (Standard Wolfburn house style) |
| Cask Strength | No (Bottled at 46% ABV) |
| Bottle count / Outturn | 1,200 bottles |
| Intended channel | Distillery direct and specialist retail; Series introduction |
| Packaging | Standard Wolfburn bottle shape; presentation box/tube featuring the 'Fehu' rune |
| Notes on discrepancies | The three-year age confirms this minimum-aged whisky’s status as an early product following the 2013 restart of distillation. |
Historical Context
The Wolfburn distillery, the northernmost on the Scottish mainland, was established in 2013, reviving a name associated with an original operation from 1821.
The Kylver Series was conceived to provide a dedicated stage for distinctive small-batch maturation runs. The series is named after the Kylver Stone, a burial stone featuring the ancient runic alphabet, intentionally reflecting the deep Norse historical presence in the Caithness region.
The First Release, Kylver No. 1, is named after the 'Fehu' rune (wealth/fortune). Given that production commenced in early 2013, this August 2016 bottling is aged for a minimum of three years, marking it as a critical historical marker. The secondary market value is driven less by the liquid's maturity and more by its foundational provenance as the debut limited series offering from the newly operational distillery, combined with the exceptionally small outturn of only 1,200 bottles.
Technical Specification & Variant Map
The Kylver Series First Release was bottled at a precise strength of 46.0% ABV, which is favoured by modern distilleries for enhanced flavour retention.
Maturation occurred exclusively in Ex-Bourbon Casks, establishing a clean, spirit-forward profile that serves as an unadulterated benchmark of the new distillery's spirit character. This is notable because subsequent Kylver releases often incorporated secondary woods.
| ABV | Volume | Market | Era cues | Relative desirability |
| 46.0% | 70cl | Global (Limited) | August 2016 Release, Fehu Rune label | High (Foundational series bottling, minimum outturn) |
Packaging & authenticity checklist
Authentic verification should include checking for the 'Fehu' rune engraving or printing on the presentation packaging. The bottle maintains the core Wolfburn principles of being Non-Chill-Filtered (NCF) and bottled at Natural Colour. The extremely low outturn of 1,200 bottles assists in validation, but buyers must verify the integrity of the label, confirming the 'Kylver No. 1' designation.
Regulatory/terminology notes
The minimum age for Scotch Whisky is three years, a threshold met by this release. Wolfburn’s consistent policy dictates that all its releases are NCF and Natural Colour, ensuring the spirit retains its full, natural profile. The $46.0\%$ ABV is significantly above the standard $40\%$ bottling strength, providing better liquid integrity.
Liquid Profile (from verifiable notes)
The flavour profile is inherently defined by its youthful age and exclusive ex-Bourbon maturation.
- Nose: An intriguing combination of youthful and malty elements, characterised by 'pear funk' or overripe pear, fresh grass, and farmyard notes. Subtle hints of smoke and clay.
- Palate: More rounded than the nose, delivering a clean, malty sweetness balanced by light pepper, anise, honeydew melon, and golden syrup. Described as exceptionally clean.
- Finish: Marked by notes of pear and white pepper, transitioning into overripe apple. A subtle smokiness is detectable on the back end.
- With water: The relatively high $46\%$ ABV suggests a small reduction would likely enhance the inherent malty sweetness and perhaps subdue the sharper 'grass' or 'farmyard' characteristics typically associated with young spirit.
Distillery/Bottler Snapshot
Wolfburn Distillery is a small Highland producer with a modest annual capacity of $\sim\text{125,000}$ litres of pure alcohol. The house style is characteristically light, malty, and clean, reflecting the cool, coastal Highland climate. Wolfburn maintains a firm commitment to bottling all expressions as Natural Colour and Non-Chill-Filtered.
Sourcing
- Target formats/eras: Acquisition should focus exclusively on 70cl bottles clearly labelled as "Kylver No. 1," ensuring the packaging features the 'Fehu' rune.
- Red flags to avoid: Confusion with later Kylver bottlings which may have larger outturns or different cask recipes.
- Condition thresholds: Given the high collectible value, bottles must be in Near Mint condition, encompassing a Full Fill Level and perfect label/presentation integrity.
- Margin/velocity expectations: Velocity is low due to extreme rarity. Retail margins can be substantial if acquired below the average auction hammer price.