Name: Wolfburn Aurora
SKU: 1330302
Price: 25.93 GBP
Availability: InStock

This beautiful sherried whisky is made from spirit laid down in a combination of American oak and Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. Benefitting from long fermentation and slow, gentle distillation, the spirit is laid down on-site in our purpose-built warehouses. At the end of the maturation process, the casks are brought together to create an exceptionally smooth and perfectly balanced dram.

August 2025

September 2025

October 2025

As you’re reading this blog and are possibly a customer of Just Whisky Auctions, it’s a fair assumption that you’ve visited more than a few distilleries and taken their tour.

That being the case, your guide almost certainly paused to point out the malt mill. More often than not, it’s a Porteus mill, though you might see the occasional Boby and even the odd Buhler mill.

But if it’s painted in a distinctive, unshowy shade of dark red then what you looked at was a Porteus mill (we’ll come back to the Boby mills shortly).  They’re sturdy little things, standing four-square in the mill room, ready to receive another load of malt, quiet occupants of an unobtrusive corner of the distillery that just get on with their job in a modest and understated way.

If the guide didn’t pause and point it out, a Porteus mill would never shout or draw attention to itself, you feel; happy to do an honest day’s work and then await the next consignment of malt to be turned to grist.

At this point, your guide quite probably explained that the mill was quite old and that the Porteus firm had gone out of business, outlived by the durability and simple excellence of a product so good and so enduring that it broke the company.

So well made that they required relatively little maintenance and with little or no demand for new machines both Porteus and Boby closed down many years ago.  They were outlived by their equipment and undone by the slump in whisky production of the 1970s and 80s and the ruthless consolidation of the brewing industry, meaning fewer and fewer small independent breweries.  Sadly, quite a few mills will have been scrapped which, until recently, hasn’t been a problem.

But it’s worth taking a closer look at these tough and functional looking machines and, if you do, there’s a good chance you’ll see a modest plaque somewhere on the side carrying a telephone number and the name Ronnie Lee.

Some years ago I noticed this on Jura and then, shortly afterwards, at Tobermory distillery and then again at a number of Speyside distilleries. So I began asking various guides ‘Who is this Ronnie Lee?’  No one knew – but as soon as I asked some real production people (as opposed to the friendly guides who for the most part are essentially a PR front and equipped with a marketing script) the pieces of a fascinating story fell quickly into place.

Well it turns out that, in a world of tattooed, bearded Brand Ambassadors with their hipster tweed caps, and rock-star Distillery Managers who jet from whisky show to whisky show, Ronnie Lee is a quiet hero. Yet he doesn’t give master classes, doesn’t blog and he’s definitely not part of the fashionable crowd that increasingly follow whisky these days.  But he – together, these days with son Gareth - are the men who mends the mills.  And, if you think about it, without their expertise there would be no whisky.

Working from their modest base near Chepstow, they run Euro Mechanical Engineering working as freelance millwrights.  As such, they spend most of their working days life in maintaining, servicing and, on occasion, restoring Porteus and Boby mills for the brewing and distilling industry.

Their surroundings are as far removed from whisky’s new image of sophistication, glamour and luxury as you might conceivably imagine, yet they carry out vital work as one of an elite group of engineers who keep these vintage machines in working order. Unsung and unheralded, they are essential to the smooth and effective operation of much of the distilling industry, here and internationally.

In fact, they work for Diageo, Chivas Brothers, Glenmorangie, Highland Distillers and Ian MacLeod Distillers, as well as a number of independent breweries and distilleries as far flung as Sweden, Italy and even the USA. If you want a vintage malt mill, or need one restored, Ronnie Lee is the man you call.

And that brings us to a fascinating twist in the story.  Some years ago, Ronnie acquired all the plans for the Boby mill when that firm closed down. With access to that unique archive, it was Euro Mechanical Engineering’s proud boast that, in theory, they could build a brand new Boby-style mill from scratch based on the original blueprints but updated for greater efficiency and cleaner running.

But why would you, when the originals have a working life of a century or more? Well, basically, they are desperately hard to find and with new distilleries and small breweries being built at an unprecedented pace, there’s a need for equipment of established high quality with a proven heritage.  Even the shiniest of new state-of-the-art distilleries may be discreetly supplied by a 50 or 60 year old machine which, come to think of it, is something quite amazingly heart-warming. But there just aren’t enough to go around.

And so it has come to pass that a new Boby mill has indeed been built and is now heading off to its eventual home in a soon-to-be-opened whisky distillery (which is another story, which we’ll come to in a moment).

The mill, of 4-5 tons capacity, is the product of 12 month’s work by Ronnie and Gareth Lee. The original design has been improved, Gareth telling me that while the exterior closely resembles an old-style Boby, the gears have been done away with, the roller bearings switched to a spherical shape and a double-edged synchronized belt fitted. If, like me, that’s double Dutch to you, I’m assured it means cleaner running (no oil), greater energy efficiency and potentially faster running speeds if desired by the operator. Everything has been built from the ground up with a local foundry providing custom-made castings for the bearings, which were then hand finished by Gareth.

But who has commissioned this work and where is this marvel of skillfully modernized vintage engineering to be found? Let’s hear it for the new owners, the family-owned and independent Ian Macleod Distillers, well-known for their Glengoyne and Tamdhu single malts, the imaginative reopening of Rosebank and their Edinburgh Gin brand.  They are also partners in the proposed Laggan Bay project which, if everything goes to plan, will be Islay’s twelfth distillery.

So the Boby is destined for a Hebridean home? Well, no. In fact, it is travelling around 4,000 miles to Una, a town in the southwestern Himachal Pradesh state in northern India where Macleod Distillers are currently building on a greenfield site.  The distillery, expected to be operational later this year, is designed to produce around 1.0m litres of spirit annually of Indian whisky.

Beyond that, Ian Macleod were tight-lipped though my own lengthy on-line research turned up an Environmental Impact report from the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board.  From that very comprehensive document we learn that “The project proposes to produce Malt Spirit, part of it matured for at least 2 years and above years for supplies to IMFL [that’s Indian-Made Foreign Liquor] industry for blending in various proportions and part of the matured malt spirit will be matured for more than 3 years to be called as Whisky under International norms and bottled as Indian Single Malt whisky for the Indian and export market”.   Indian Single Malt Whisky from Ian Macleod Distillers – that’s something not yet widely reported and quite a feather in the cap of relatively small independent Scottish distillers.

According to the report, the total cost is approximately £5m – quite the bargain by UK standards. 
Naturally I enquired as to the price of the mill and naturally, and quite correctly, Gareth Lee would not be drawn into the specifics. But he did hint that if you wanted one for your project you could expect to wait some 12 months or so (they’re busy) and expect to write a cheque for rather more than  £100,000.

So this is a mill that grinds slowly but is exceeding fine; evidently a labour of love and a source of great pride – and why not, because as Gareth assured me, “it will be working long after I’m in the ground.”  I wonder if in fifty or more years curious visitors will be regaled with the story – I certainly hope so.

Their surroundings are as far removed from whisky’s new image of sophistication, glamour and luxury as you might conceivably imagine

In our inaugural Blog entry, Guest writer Ian Buxton explores the seemingly unglamorous distillery mill. The unsung hero of whisky distilleries.

The Distillery Mill

Historical

In this intriguing piece, Gavin D. Smith delves into the relationship between taxes and the Scotch Whisky industry.

1823 EXCISE ACT

bid_on_over_1600_lots_in_our_july_whisky_auction_2764421_524251.webp

Bidding Ends Monday 21st July

Bid On Over 1,600 Lots In Our July Whisky Auction

buy_sell_with_the_worlds_most_trusted_whisky_auction_2080060426f40.png

Worldwide shipping, Incredible selection of Rare & Collectable Malts.

Buy & Sell with The World's Most Trusted Whisky Auction.

sell_with_confidence_in_our_next_auction_august_13th_18th_2764419_859293.webp

0% Seller Commission. Entry Deadline August 6th. Get in touch now to sell items in this auction!

Sell with confidence in our Next Auction: August 13th - 18th

real_time_valuations_for_your_whisky_20800567ccb49.png

Add bottles to your account for instant valuations of your entire collection.

Real-time Valuations For Your Whisky

time_to_sell_well_collect_your_whisky_for_free_2080055b450b4.png

Free UK courier for collections valued over £500. International courier collections also available.

Time to sell? We'll collect your whisky for free.

main_slider.png

Worldwide shipping available to 65 countries. Express & Insured options available.

Insured worldwide shipping. Delivering whisky, right to your door.

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl.jpg

70 cl

41.6%, 42.6% & 42.2%

The Red Collection (3x70cl)

Macallan 71, 74, & 78 Years Old

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl_2752395_461576.webp

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl_2752396_837091.webp

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl_2752397_669730.webp

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl_2752398_045377.webp

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl_2752399_808343.webp

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl_2752401_740006.webp

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl_2752402_002407.webp

macallan_71_74_78_years_old_the_red_collection_3x70cl_2752400_215369.webp

Minor creases to box

brora_22_years_old_1972_rare_malts_357873.webp

60.02% vol

Rare Malts (60.02%)

Brora 22 Years Old 1972

brora_22_years_old_1972_rare_malts_6002_2762541_082600.webp

brora_22_years_old_1972_rare_malts_6002_2762542_043395.webp

brora_22_years_old_1972_rare_malts_6002_2762543_697846.webp

brora_22_years_old_1972_rare_malts_6002_2762544_976439.webp

Scratches to box

glenfiddich_40_years_old_1964_hart_brothers_the_dynasty_decanter_303151.webp

Not Stated

Hart Brothers The Dynasty Decanter

Bowmore 31 Years Old

bowmore_31_years_old_hart_brothers_the_dynasty_decanter_2761220_971260.webp

bowmore_31_years_old_hart_brothers_the_dynasty_decanter_2761221_571651.webp

bowmore_31_years_old_hart_brothers_the_dynasty_decanter_2761222_230632.webp

bowmore_31_years_old_hart_brothers_the_dynasty_decanter_2761223_241260.webp

bowmore_31_years_old_hart_brothers_the_dynasty_decanter_2761224_047337.webp

bowmore_31_years_old_hart_brothers_the_dynasty_decanter_2761225_741467.webp

Full Collection & Wooden case (6x70cl)

Johnnie Walker Directors Blend 2008-2013

2008 Release

Johnnie Walker The Directors Blend

johnnie_walker_the_directors_blend_2009_release_953787.webp

2009 Release

2010 Release

2011 Release

2012 Release

2013 Release

johnnie_walker_directors_blend_2008_2013_full_collection_wooden_case_6x70cl_2756412_999863.webp

johnnie_walker_directors_blend_2008_2013_full_collection_wooden_case_6x70cl_2756413_167336.webp

johnnie_walker_directors_blend_2008_2013_full_collection_wooden_case_6x70cl_2756414_582733.webp

johnnie_walker_directors_blend_2008_2013_full_collection_wooden_case_6x70cl_2756415_978705.webp

johnnie_walker_directors_blend_2008_2013_full_collection_wooden_case_6x70cl_2756416_838618.webp

johnnie_walker_directors_blend_2008_2013_full_collection_wooden_case_6x70cl_2756417_915931.webp

port_ellen_40_years_old_1979_9_rogue_casks_609613.webp

50.9%

9 Rogue Casks

Port Ellen 40 Years Old 1979

port_ellen_40_years_old_1979_9_rogue_casks_2761320_201171.webp

port_ellen_40_years_old_1979_9_rogue_casks_2761321_561083.webp

port_ellen_40_years_old_1979_9_rogue_casks_2761322_556997.webp

port_ellen_40_years_old_1979_9_rogue_casks_2761323_402255.webp

port_ellen_40_years_old_1979_9_rogue_casks_2761324_111653.webp

port_ellen_40_years_old_1979_9_rogue_casks_2761325_834690.webp

karuizawa_2000_2016_rising_sun_single_cask_no8123.jpg

63.8%

2016 'Rising Sun' - Single Cask No.8123

Karuizawa 2000

karuizawa_2000_2016_rising_sun_single_cask_no8123_2763107_535847.webp

karuizawa_2000_2016_rising_sun_single_cask_no8123_2763108_735021.webp

Wolfburn Aurora Sherry Oak

Official Bottling

Sherry

Located on the outskirts of Thurso, Wolfburn when it was established in 2013 became the most northerly mainland distillery in Scotland. Taking its name and inspiration from a nearby lost distillery, Wolfburn focuses on an unpeated distillate but in recent times has given up a small percentage of production to a lightly peated variant.
Production is small by whisky standards with a single pair of stills being the centre point of the distillery. Despite this, Wolfburn has managed to build a range of core expressions that are well distributed internationally. A variety of single casks and limited edition expressions have also been released as Wolfburn tries to establish its own identity; something that it hasn’t managed to accomplish yet.

Wolfburn Aurora

Sherry Oak

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I bid on the auctions?

Why does the timer extend on a lot?

How do I sell?