In 1821, William Smith founded the Wolfburn distillery on the outskirts of Thurso, named after a nearby stream. The distillery, built from sturdy Caithness stone slabs, quickly developed into a major producer of malt whisky. The distillery remained family-owned until the 1850s and may have been in sporadic operation into the 1860s, although it was marked as a ruin on a map in 1872. A new building was erected near the old site.

The distillery’s logo, designed in 2011, is based on a 16th-century drawing by Conrad Gessner and references the Sea Wolf, a local legend said to bring good luck. The logo symbolises the distillery’s deep connection to Scottish culture and history.

Half of the Small Batch No. 458 expression is matured in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and the other half in first-fill bourbon casks. The result is a whisky with exceptional depth of flavour, an intense colour and a warm, lively character. This limited edition is restricted to 5,100 bottles worldwide.