24/02/2024 Wolfburn

On this second anniversary of the war between Ukraine and Russia, what would be more adequate than this?

Wolfburn 7yo 2015/2022 (46%, OB supporting the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, ex-Bourbon Quarter Casks, 1550b): nose: we have a mix of Chenin blanc, or Sauvignon blanc, even, and smoking ashes, the sweetness of citric-powder sweets, and the content of an ashtray, albeit one devoid of cigarette ends. That combination of sugar and ash is quite enticing, really. Barley sugar, sugar-cane juice, fruit soda, and a cloak of smoke that simply will not go away. Not that anyone is suggesting it should. Deeper nosing reveals bandages, gauze, and a spray of hospital disinfectant, yet we are far from what one would call a medicinal whisky. The second nose is a lot fruitier, shouting grapes and clementines, as well as smoked clementine leaves. The ashes from earlier seem to turn into granite. That changes again to give orange-flavoured cigarettes, a combination that works so well one wonders why the evil tobacco industry has not thought of it. Fleetingly and inconsistently, it has moments in which it is vaguely reminiscent of a pre-War Speysider. Unexpected, to say the least. Mouth: thin, it comes across as diluted juice, rather than any kind of syrup, although it stays sweet (sugar-cane juice, barley sugar), and gains spices with time (stem ginger, candied mace, some pepper too). The smoke is less apparent than on the nose, yet it is definitely there. The second sip starts off more bitter, with dried orange peels and grated Aspirin tablets, and swiftly brings back smoke from a bushfire, and fruit juice -- smoked oranges, shall we say, with a few drops of pomelo to keep it interesting. Repeated sipping dials up the bitterness. Oh! it is acceptable all round, mind. We spot (smoked) yuzu foliage, for example. Finish: it is peppery, here. Ashes and ground white pepper. It has a drying, bitter quality too, maybe crushed smoked Aspirin, yet what comes out most is white pepper from the peppermill (a Peugeot, no doubt). That pepper must have been stored by the sea, because it is marked by iodine too. A clearer fruitiness emerges, after a while: crystallised lemons or orange segments. The second sip takes this firmly to the smoked-citrus camp, and pushes it towards brine. To namedrop preserved lemons would likely be a step too far, yet it does have a salty, acidic touch that works well, and a (very) gentle acrid smoke to keep one guessing. Throughout, the source cereal is traceable (just), without the whisky ever becoming a cereal-y number. At a push, children of the Eighties may find Vanydene at the death. This is very decent, if very different from the first time we had it. I like it as much. A strong 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, adc)