Category: Old Pulteney

Style: Sweet, waxy and spicy

Nose:
Cutting through a prickling and dense peppermint fog, we reach a candlewax-sealed door which insulates layers of orange, poppyseed cake and limoncello. Side notes are deeply buried by the spirit spice. Lemon aloe vera gradually opens up, white grapes, red chilli shreds placed on the top. Distant diesel smoke, faint scent of barbeque grilled shrimps wavering in the air. Slightly muted, but a rather clean nose.

Palate:
Much more expressive on the palate, sweet explosion of citrus fruits at the front. Thick candlewax coating around a tropical fruits salad. The Highland waxiness is similar to Clynelish, but different. Soft floral fragrance, lime overtone, potpourri, Botrytis, coconut butter mixes with barley. Going slightly creamy towards the end. A touch of salt, imaginary peat, finish with another citrus zing.

Finish:
Soft notes of mangoes, canned pineapples and orange blossom scented candle with medicinal herbs.

Thoughts:
For me, there is always something special about Pulteney. Partly because it is one of my earliest whiskies, but mostly because of the balance between the distillate citrus and Highland waxiness is quite unique and charming. Different to how Clynelish does it, and probably it is designed to be bottled at 46%, but young Old Pulteney at higher strength can be also, as the name suggests, highly entertaining. It is probably not the most-hyped distillery, but this is a dram I like to spend a lazy afternoon with it. Close to one star.

✓+ [Recommended if you like the style/distillery]

[58.2%| 2007 Distilled| Independent Bottling| Single Cask| Cask Strength| 245 Bottles| 1st Fill Bourbon Cask| T+]

–Esmond

Style: Sweet and Sherry

Nose:
Dense, jammy strawberry sharpened by peppermint spice. Dark chocolate, immensely sweet and spicy. Digging deeper you find drier, salty malt at the core. The aroma is still a bit closed, more chilli spice thrusts in, wood smoke, raisin chocolate almonds finishes with a touch of brine.

Palate:
A bite of peppermint herb followed by delightful strawberry daiquiri. Cedar wood, leather and Shisha molasses, while some smokiness managed to escape from the endless and boundless sherry cavalcade. Fluffy vanilla cream joins the ranks, we have strawberry ice cream now. Menthol and tingling tannins. Plenty of demerara with subtle fisherman’s friends. Oily, malty and lip-smacking sherry.

Finish:
Dazzling red fruits, more chilli layering, hot but sweet and delicious.

Thoughts:
True classic sherry bomb, a dizzying array of red fruits in this dram. Personally I like to see more of the distillate which is in this case overwhelmed by the sea of sherry, but in terms of tastiness, there is really nothing you can complain about. Another red fruits delight which can put a big smile on Sherry lovers.

☆ [Recommended]

[58.8% • 2001 Bottled • 1983 Distilled • Single Cask • Cask Strength • Non Coloured • Non Chill Filtered • Cask Number: 1500 • Bottle Number: 263]

-Esmond

Tasted at Whisky and Alement, Melbourne.

[43%・Distilled in 1969・Bottled in 2006・37 Years Old・Gordon & MacPhail Bottling・Limited Release]

Nose:

A crisp pear sweetness mingles with the salty and brine-y note.  Lime zest infused within the salted caramel swirl.  Classic Old Pulteney but with the age it fares even more balanced and tender, with an even mix of maltiness and vague seaweed note in the background.

Palate & Finish:

Candied pears with a captivating creaminess from the malted barley, the gentle fruit nectar blossoms into something truly beautiful.

The finishing is brief with the fructose lingering, the interaction with the malt is light and pretty.

Thoughts:

For something this gentle and pleasing, I would argue it does not have to be extravagant like the age perhaps suggests.  It can just be a much relished drop from a bygone era.

☆ [Recommended]

-Nicholas