Boat Pool, River Thurso

Explorer Tom Wolfburn Distillery works near the sea at Thurso, where the old name returned to whisky making after a very long silence. Tom says any place called Wolfburn must have a wolf on the payroll; the actual workers appear more occupied with stills and casks. Book a guided visit and find out how a small northern distillery gives an old burn a second career. William Smith founded the original Wolfburn in 1821 and named it for the watercourse supplying it. It became a major Caithness producer before falling silent; foundations of that old site can still be seen. The present distillery began production in 2013 a short walk farther along the burn. It remains independently owned, and the team distils, fills casks, matures whisky and bottles it in Thurso. A classic tour follows the work from the still house to the warehouses and ends with a tasting. The operator also offers a longer premium visit. There is no separate visitor centre, so the tour is a look inside a working place rather than a polished exhibition pretending the equipment has never made a mess. Ask the guide why the same spirit can change in different casks. Tom's answer will probably involve moonlight and wolf fur, which is why the guide is there. The distillery is at Henderson Park in Thurso, and the operator asks visitors to book tours in advance. Check its current tour times and access details; one elevated walkway is inaccessible to wheelchairs, though other parts of the site can be visited. Drivers can ask about a sample to take home. Let the real craft do the talking, and save Tom's howl for outside.