Old Pulteney 18yo 1970/1988

Old Pulteney 18yo 1970/1988

Sestante, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cookie dough, sea salt, kippers, fish sauce, cardboard, chillies, wet stones. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Glue, sea salt, kippers, wet stones, pears, chillies, blue cheese, lemon zest, hints of peaches. 
Finish: Medium. Wet stones, glue, blue cheese, lemon zest, hints of pears. 

Comments: 

Lots of saline notes, as befits a coastal whisky. There’s other notes, maybe something reminiscent of rancio, like glue and blue cheese. Unusual and rather good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Pulteney 11yo

Pulteney 11yo

Cask and Crust, Cask Trade
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, sour cream, lemon zest, yoghurt, white pepper, ginseng. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, oily, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Wet stones, petrichor, lemon zest, white pepper, gentian, coffee, hints of sour cream. 
Finish: Medium. Gentian, coffee, petrichor, vanilla, hints of wet stones. 

Comments: 

Cask 504182. Lots of coastal minerally notes, with an earthy after-the-rain top note. It’s rather light and airy with a lactic tang at the end. Quite bitter.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Pulteney 8yo 100 Proof

Old Pulteney 8yo 100 Proof

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale copper
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, kiwifruit, passionfruit, greengages, clay dust, white grapes, hints of candle wax. With water, kiwifruit, honey, candle wax, greengages. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, magic marker, greengages, clay dust, lemon zest, pomeloes, candle wax. With water, honey, passionfruit, candle wax, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. Clay dust, lemon zest, candle wax, greengages. 

Comments: 

Lots of white and green fruits, alongside a waxy, sweet, citrusy character. It’s quite an old bottle, so tastes quite dusty and spicy. Luscious, bottled at an almost perfect ABV.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Old Pulteney 23yo 1998/2022

Old Pulteney 23yo 1998/2022

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - North Highlands
Bright gold
56.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Grapefruit, black pepper, lemon zest, yoghurt, sea salt, honey, fresh cut grass. With water, honey, yoghurt, sea salt, hints of autumn leaves. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Lemon zest, black pepper, grapefruit, matches, fresh cut grass, seaweed. With water, honey, lemon zest, yoghurt, sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Matches, fresh cut grass, seaweed, grapefruit. 

Comments: 

Cask 17603801. Quite saline, as I’ve come to expect from Old Pulteneys, but it’s got a sulphurous tang, like chewing on matchheads. Lots of black pepper and grapefruit complement the fiery salt. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Old Pulteney 14yo 2007/2021

Old Pulteney 14yo 2007/2021

Rare Find Whisky, Gleann Mor Spirits
Single malt - North Highlands 
Golden
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, preserved lemons, green tea, jasmine, malted grains, hints of barley sugar. With water, malted grains, lemon zest, sea salt, apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, apricots, preserved lemons, green tea, greengages, malted greens, hints of stale beer. With water, barley sugar, stale beer, greengages, hints of cumin. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, apricots, green tea, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 700720. Quite fruity for an Old Pulteney. The coastal, saline character has been nearly hidden under the apricots and greengages. Lots of spicy notes are present too, making the whisky taste like preserved lemons. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot

Old Pulteney 19yo 1974/1993

Old Pulteney 19yo 1974/1993

First Cask, The Malt Whisky Circle 
Single malt - North Highlands 
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, lemon zest, white grapes, blueberries, strawberry laces, hints of rose. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, airy, slightly tingly. 
Tasting: Sweet salty. Lemon zest, strawberry laces, vanilla, roses, sea salt, sandalwood, hints of grapefruit. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, lemon zest, roses, hints of sea salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 6283. Lovely Old Pulteney, fruity, even slightly salty, with a great coastal character. It comes in waves, then fades to a leathery, floral finish. Rather good.  

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Old Pulteney 18yo

Old Pulteney 18yo

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Dark amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, orange peel, sea salt, vanilla sponge, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, slippery, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Sea salt, lemon zest, honeycomb, orange squash, hints of seaweed, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Short. Orange squash, seaweed, honeycomb, raisins. 

Comments: 

Classic, briny Old Pulteney, but sweeter than the usual, with a nice citrusy tang. It's like the old 17yo but amped up. The seaweed and brine is perhaps a touch lighter, and the sweetness from the wood a touch more obvious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Pulteney Huddart

Old Pulteney Huddart

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, sea salt, peat, salted lemons, hints of butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, slightly watery. 
Tasting:  Sour. Sea salt, salted lemons, apples, butterscotch, white grapes, hints of raisins, hints of white wine. 
Finish: Short. Apples, lemon zest, sea salt, hints of peat. 

Comments: 

I've wanted to taste Old Pulteney's relaunched range for some time now. This is a decent start. Good salty, sour classic Old Pulteney notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Pulteney 25yo

Old Pulteney 25yo

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, apple juice, soy sauce, orange peel, lemon zest, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, turns watery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apple juice, prunes, sea salt, dried apples, orange peel, hints of soy sauce. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, honey, malted grains, soy sauce. 

Comments: 

Very decent and complex whisky on the nose, but didn't vary much on the tongue. Somewhat odd in that sense, although it's got a nice classic Old Pulteney profile. Still, I enjoyed it.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Pulteney 8 yo

Old Pulteney 8 yo

Distillery Labels, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - North Highlands
Dark gold
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Raisins, chocolate, peat, brine, salt caramel, iodine, tobacco leaf.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Brown paper, raisins, chocolate, salt caramel, honey, iodine, hints of tobacco leaf.
Finish: Long. Chillies, raisins, chocolate, iodine, brine.

Comments:

Sweeter and less subtle than the official Old Pulteneys. However, there's a big chemical hit of what tastes like antiseptic iodine solution, followed by brandy-like notes of brown paper and raisins. It's young, but it's complex, robust and packs a punch. Definitely hits the right buttons.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Pulteney Distillery

Old Pulteney Distillery
Huddard St
Wick
Caithness KW1 5BA

North Highlands, Scotland - Active

Flavour profile

Old Pulteney is in Wick, next to the sea, and maybe it's not surprising that it's quite a salty whisky. Peat and seaweed also add to its maritime character. The whisky isn't that savoury, however, there are some distinctly unsealike characteristics in it. These are mostly very sweet notes.

Sometimes the sweet notes manifest as fruit, but more often, as chocolate and caramel. Caramel blends better than chocolate with the brininess of the whisky. Strangely, any fruitiness tends to get overwhelmed by the brine and the peat, and is rather hidden and elusive. It takes some work and attention to find these notes.


All the Old Pulteneys I've tasted so far are here.

Old Pulteney 17 yo - very good
Old Pulteney 21 yo - good
SMWS 52.18 (Old Pulteney 7 yo 2001/2008) - very good
Old Pulteney 12 yo - good

Distillery history

The distillery was founded by James Henderson in 1823, supposedly named after Sir William Johnstone Pulteney, a Scottish lawyer, MP and once the richest man in Great Britain. It eventually fell into the hands of one of Allied Domecq's ancestor companies. Allied Domecq sold the distillery to InverHouse Distillers, now a subsidiary of Thai Beverages. The distillery was silent between 1930 and 1959 (closed, then rebuilt).

Old Pulteney is a component of some fairly obscure blends (like Inver House, Catton's and Pinwinnie Royal). There are 3 single malt expressions, the 12 yo, 17 yo and 21 yo. Most of the malt is now diverted to these expressions.

Potted distillery facts

Water source: Loch of Yarrows
Washbacks: Six, cast iron, 24,000 litres each
Wash stills: One, reflux bowls neck with T shape, 21,707 litres
Spirit stills: One, reflux bowls neck, 17,343 litres
Spirit still Lyne arm: Almost right angle, bent vertical descent
Production per year: 3,000,000 litres

- The Scottish Whisky Distilleries, Misako Udo

Old Pulteney 17 yo

Old Pulteney 17 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Buttercup yellow
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, raisins, grass, salt caramel, green apples, hints of melon.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, static, thickens.
Tasting: Sweet. Chocolate, grass, peat, salt caramel, buttercups.
Finish: Medium. Peat, chocolate.

Comments:

Very different from the other Old Pulteneys. Less salty, with a lot of apples - puts me in mind of meadows rather than the sea. Maybe a little peat just to remind me of where this comes from.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Old Pulteney 21 yo

Old Pulteney 21 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Salt caramel, butter, rice, seaweed, fried eggs, peat.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Salty. Butter, fried, eggs, seaweed, peat, chocolate, hints of raisins.
Finish: Medium. Peat, seaweed, salt caramel.

Comments:

Very salty, almost too savoury. But it's manageable, and the raisins give just enough of a hint of whiskiness. Very maritime, and in some ways more than a little Japanese. Reminded me of katsu-don, that dish of breaded fried pork, egg and onions on rice.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 52.18 (Old Pulteney 7 yo 2001/2008)

SMWS 52.18 (Old Pulteney 7 yo 2001/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - North Highlands
Straw
66.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, cookie dough, pear, sea salt, salt caramel, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, velvety, thick.
Tasting: Sweet. Honey, orange peel, vanilla, peat, apple pie, cinnamon.
Finish: Long. Incense, apple pie, nutmeg, honey, cinnamon.

Comments:

Strong, but very drinkable. No need to add water either. This is not the official Old Pulteney, with its sea salt and maritime character. This is heavy and sweet, with just a little sea salt in the nose to remind me of where it comes from. Fragrant, spicy, and peaty. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Old Pulteney 12 yo

Old Pulteney 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Sweet sherry, caramel, malty beer, liquorice, cream, hint of fruit.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, viscous, wet, foggy.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Cream, almond nougat, cane sugar, spiced barley, hint of blackberry.
Finish: Long. Cayenne pepper, sea salt, honey.

Comments:

"Foggy" and "wet" mean that the whisky is highly liquid and mouth-coating; it seems to expand into vapour once it comes into contact with the heat of the mouth. Great mouthfeel. The taste isn't bad either - a good combination of sweet and savoury notes. I particularly like the tantalising hints of fruit lurking in it.

Verdict:

I like this.