“Fire on the Mountain”
Whisky Review # 1062
Country: Scotland 🏴
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Wolfburn Morven
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Lightly Peated: 10 PPM
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: 50% 1st Fill Bourbon Casks and 50% Quarter Casks from Islay
Maturation: 50% 1st Fill Bourbon Casks and 50% Quarter Casks from Islay
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 35-45 (April 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good, if you like Young, lightly Peated Whisky
Buying Advice: 😐 It's Light, Thin, Young and Simple but not really bad
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good, if you like Young, lightly Peated Whisky
Buying Advice: 😐 It's Light, Thin, Young and Simple but not really bad
Colour: White Wine/Pale Straw (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light, Young and a little Edgy. The Alcohol is noticeable. Quite a few Burnt notes (Resin, Straw, Plastic). Orchard Fruit and Citrus. It's similar to Young Islay but less pungent.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Toast & Margarine, Vanilla, Yeast, Burnt Resin, Plastic, Matches and Straw, Cold Smoke,Dirty Earthy Peat, Red Apple, Lemon, Nectarine, Dairy, Rubber, Floral Perfume and Metal.
Sweet Barley, Toast & Margarine, Vanilla, Yeast, Burnt Resin, Plastic, Matches and Straw, Cold Smoke,Dirty Earthy Peat, Red Apple, Lemon, Nectarine, Dairy, Rubber, Floral Perfume and Metal.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Caramel, Wax, Grass, Iodine, Tar, Ashes, Pear, Orange, Grilled Pineapple, Nuts, Dusty Oak, Tobacco, Varnish, Wet Sand, Cooked Vegetables, Smoked Meat, Mint, Cinnamon and Pepper.
Caramel, Wax, Grass, Iodine, Tar, Ashes, Pear, Orange, Grilled Pineapple, Nuts, Dusty Oak, Tobacco, Varnish, Wet Sand, Cooked Vegetables, Smoked Meat, Mint, Cinnamon and Pepper.
Young, Light, Thin, Fresh & slightly Sharp. There's a Menthol-like Freshness to it. It's Sweet but it also offers some Sour & Salty notes. Simple but not unpleasant. The Alcohol remains noticeable.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Cold Smoke, Dirty Earthy Peat, Hospital, Grass and Straw, Lemon, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Fresh Herbs, Salt, Menthol, Pepper and Ginger.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Honey, Caramel, Toffee, Orange, Pear, Nectarine, Green Tea, Dusty Oak, White Chocolate, Almonds, Rubber, Leather, Licorice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and BBQ.
Honey, Caramel, Toffee, Orange, Pear, Nectarine, Green Tea, Dusty Oak, White Chocolate, Almonds, Rubber, Leather, Licorice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and BBQ.
Middle-Long. Light, Thin and Young. Mainly Sweet but with a few Sour and Salty notes for contrast. A slight Herbal Bitterness towards the end. I also find Sweet & Malted Barley, Vanilla, Yeast, Grass, Cold Smoke, Dirty Earthy Peat, Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Nectarine, Green Apple, Unripe Pear, Ashes, Hospital, Licorice, Aniseed, Fresh Herbs, Cooked Vegetables, Alcohol, Toasted Almonds, Brine, Salt, Pepper, Ginger, Menthol, Dusty Oak, Cocoa Powder and Smoked Meat.
Drinking Advice:
With added Water this Morven becomes Liquid, Thin Peat. Better enjoy it neat.
With added Water this Morven becomes Liquid, Thin Peat. Better enjoy it neat.
Rating: 7 (*******)
Nose: 7 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good
Conclusion:
Wolfburn is a young distillery. It was founded in 2013 on the outskirts of Thurso, very close to the ruins of the old Wolfburn distillery that was founded in 1821 but closed down at the end of the 19th century. Wolfburn is owned by Aurora Brewing Ltd & has a current production capacity of around 135.000 litres. The core range includes the 10 Year old, Northland, Aurora, Morven and Langskip. We visited the distillery in May 2019 and enjoyed it. Certainly worth a visit! The Morven was first released in 2017, It is named after the highest mountain (706 m) in the county of Caithness.
Wolfburn is a young distillery. It was founded in 2013 on the outskirts of Thurso, very close to the ruins of the old Wolfburn distillery that was founded in 1821 but closed down at the end of the 19th century. Wolfburn is owned by Aurora Brewing Ltd & has a current production capacity of around 135.000 litres. The core range includes the 10 Year old, Northland, Aurora, Morven and Langskip. We visited the distillery in May 2019 and enjoyed it. Certainly worth a visit! The Morven was first released in 2017, It is named after the highest mountain (706 m) in the county of Caithness.
Morven is a young, thin and lightly peated Single Malt. It's quite straightforward & simple but not totally unpleasant. The P/Q ratio is good. If you like young peated Islay you might give it a go. But if you like longer matured peated whisky like the Lagavulin 16 you should not consider climbing this Morven.
Cheers! 🥃
Jan van den Ende April 10, 2025
Jan van den Ende April 10, 2025
