Wolfburn Aurora Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Wolfburn Aurora is a single malt Scotch whisky matured in equal parts bourbon barrel and Oloroso sherry hogshead.

Thurso, on the north coast of Caithness, is as far north as mainland Scotch gets, and the distillery here has been running since 2013 on the site of a much older operation that closed in the nineteenth century. Fermentation for this expression runs long, around 75 hours, which builds fruit esters in the wash. Distillation is slow and double, through the wash still and then the spirit still. Maturation is split down the middle: half in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, which are subtler than their reputation suggests, and half in first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads.

Dried fruit, orange peel and a little toffee, with the bourbon casks keeping it bright and the sherry filling in underneath. Drink it neat at room temperature, with a few drops of water to open it up. It also makes a good Rob Roy.