Malt Mission 2010 #375

Old Pulteney 30yo
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
44% abv
£250

Ending my string of "new" releases here on the malt mission with a drop from Old Pulteney. It would be more accurate to call these "recent releases" as by the time I have gotten around to publishing them every other enthusiastic whisy nerd with a qwerty machine and dial-up has shared their views on them (Lucas and Chris drank of the goblet back in April 09, Johan reported on it on Canada Day, and I got my sample July 8th). But nonetheless here they are, 5 recent releases (out of many) that I thought the world would be better knowing more about (cuz I certainly tried some new drops that were blah).

When we lived in the UK, Old Pulteney was a bottle on our shelf that saw the most action, going through several bottles a year. In fact, if I think about it, we might be largely responsible for the huge increases in sales of recent years. The Malt Whisky Yearbook tells us that Pulteney has increased sales volumes by 16% globally, (24% in the UK alone). And they're making all this spirit with just one pair of stills... huge stills at that (21,700 litre wash still, 17,300 spirit still). All impressive when you remember that it wasn't until 1997 that the world saw a 12yo propietary bottling from the distillery. And a 17yo in 2004, a 21 in 2005, and now this.

Worth noting that this is one of Scotland's few distilleries that use worm tubs to condense their spirit (other examples are Mortlach, Glen Elgin, Cragganmore, Knockdhu (An Cnoc)...a prize if you can name all of them?)

For more distillery info and to see all Pulteney had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Provocatively fruity with tons else going on. Mango, melon, grain, and woody depth that comes with age. Barley, coconut, honey, and earthiness, even peatiness.

Complex array of flavours from sweet to floral to medicinal. Tar balanced with vanilla, salt with spice, and bitter oak with sweet barley sugar. Tinned peaches. Butter, shortbread, and heather honey through the finish. Lasting flavours. And lasting.

SUMMARY:

An immense profile spanning nearly every corner of the flavour wheel... all without the use of sherry caks. Believe it! Clean, balanced, and confidently mature whisky that is a confirmation of what a fine distillery operates in Wick.

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