Today more young Pulteney


November 6, 2023

WF's Little Duos,
today more young Pulteney

We love tasting Pulteney, which is becoming more than just 'the next distillery going north along the coast from Brora'. Unfortunately, there aren't that many, but the good news is that it seems to me that there is now less wood in the younger official versions. That, we applaud wholeheartedly.

Wick Harbour (caithness.org)

Old Pulteney 12 yo 2012 'Flotilla' (46%, OB, 2023)

Old Pulteney 10 yo 2012 'Flotilla' (46%, OB, 2023)

Totally ex-American oak. I found it so good and so balanced, after some previous versions more on sawdust and vanillin, that I placed it among my 'best of show' during the 'masterclass' we did with Dave B. at Whisky Live Paris this year. We always have a good laugh when doing these things with Mr. Broom. Colour: pale white wine. Top. Nose: we are really by the sea, it's not just some vague advertising pitch thrown on labels by marketeers from Wick or London. Sea spray and seaweed thus blend with a very subtle vanilla, which combines perfectly with wet chalk, baker's yeast, unleavened bread, and white beer brewed in town by the last local hipsters. A few notes of smoked fish, followed by some vanilla fudge. Mouth: very fragrant, powerful, smoky, spicy, salty, citrusy... I think that if we start to find more of such Pulteney, we can soon organise a large comparative session between them and Clynelish. It's good to have goals in life. I also really like these notes of dill, watercress, and sorrel in the background, on top of the lemon. Finish: rather long, still slightly fatty but otherwise perfectly centred on oysters and lemon. Some fresh spices in the aftertaste, as well as a few little Easter eggs in sugar. Not very sure about our timing here, ha. Comments: not much to add. For a ten-year-old, let's say it's pretty impressive.
SGP:651 – 89 points.

That said, the second one is even younger...

Old Pulteney 9 yo 2011/2021 (47.5%, Càrn Mòr, Strictly Limited, bourbon barrels, 678 bottles)

I imagine that we are very close to the heart of the distillate here, unless poorly raised barrels were used, let's check this... Colour: pale white wine. Another good news. Nose: here is an even more austere version, which gives pride of place to sea breezes, in the style of a manzanilla. I would swear that someone replaced my Pulteney with a Gitana or a Solear while I had my back turned. Green walnuts, light curry, seaweed, mild mustard, samphire, crushed slate, albariza (that's Sanlucar's typical chalky soil)... Suddenly, turpentine comes in and shakes everything up, but we really like it. Here is a young and proud distillate! Mouth: we are very close to the official, it's just a bit more disordered, rustic, fermentary... The pepper contends with sea salt and overripe apples, with mustard, and even some notes of pickles in jars. The sea is more on the cliff side than the beach side, if you see what I mean. Also, something that reminds us of laundry powder, but rest assured, we don't eat that every day. Finish: long and much more on lemon zests and chalk, followed by an growing salinity. Comments: well, seriously, it's extremely good too, it's just a bit more rustic, wilder than the official one. In fact, it's very close. I think Pulteney is making a thunderous comeback, but it remains to be seen if this taut style is sufficiently mainstream. But why should it be, after all?
SGP:561 – 87 points.

Check the index of all Pulteney we've tasted so far