Pulteney Distillery
Address : Pulteney Distilery, Huddart Street, Wick, Caithness
KW1 5BA
Telephone No : 01955 602371
Web Site : www.OldPulteney.com
Visitors Centre : Yes
The Pulteney Distillery was founded by James Henderson in 1826, it lies on the Southern side of Wick and is Scotland's most Northerly mainland distillery. Henderson was already an accomplished distiller with 30 years experience further inland. After the The Illicit Distillation (Scotland) Act in 1822, his small pot distillery at Sibster was closed down. Henderson moved closer to the sea, due not only to the distilling laws, but also because of the increasing demand for his whisky from the provincial towns of Scotland. The only means of transport to the south was by sea via the port of Wick. In 1920 Pulteney Distillery was sold to James Watson & Co Ltd Dundee who were subsequently acquired by John Dewar & Sons Ltd. It passed through various hands and was briefly closed, (in 1930), until it was eventually bought by Inver House distillers in 1995.
Pulteney Distillery continues to distill the finest Highland malt whisky using the same traditional techniques passed down from the 19th century. The distillery has two stills, one wash still and one spirit still, producing approximately 1 million litres of whisky a year. The spirit still is very unique in shape due to there being no actual head and swan neck. This is due to the still being delivered and being too tall for the stillhouse. The manager at the time instructed the coppersmith to cut the top off thus creating the unique shape, often described as looking like a smugglers kettle.
Here is a selection of whisky produced at the Pulteney Distillery:
Old Pulteney 12 Year Old 70cl 40%
Tasting Notes:
Matured wholly in air-dried, hand-selected ex-bourbon casks, the 'unashamedly excellent' Old Pulteney 12-years-old is the definitive expression in the Old Pulteney family. Traditionally crafted using techniques that other distillers have long abandoned, this winner of numerous gold medals at the most prestigious international competitions is a high water-mark of quality spirits.
Colour: Deep amber with a slight pink hue.
Nose: Medium to high intensity, dry with a hint of sea air.
Palate: Dry, medium bodied and smooth with a clean finish: faintly salty with a slight sherry note.
Old Pulteney 17 Year Old 70cl 46%
Tasting Notes:
Our 17-year-old predominantly features ex-bourbon maturation, with the addition of spirit that has been wholly matured in Spanish wood ex-sherry casks, predominantly Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso. This adds a subtle depth and complexity to the whisky, making for an outstanding after-dinner drink.
Colour: Red amber with a rich autumnal hue.
Nose: Sweet with traces of apples and pears: slightly woody with a hint of butterscotch.
Palate: Full bodied, with hints of vanilla and floral notes in the background; a long-lasting memorable finish.
Non Chill-Filtered
Old Pulteney 21 Year Old 70cl 46%
Tasting Notes:
As with the 17-year-old, with this expression we marry together Old Pulteney matured in ex-bourbon wood with spirit from ex-sherry wood casks. The crucial difference, however, is that the ex-sherry wood in this case is made from American Oak (mostly Fino sherries). This adds yet another layer of complexity, depth and character to this truly superb malt whisky.
Colour: Golden amber with straw highlights.
Nose: Full bodied with traces of fruits (apples and pears); slightly fragrant with spicy overtones.
Palate: Sweet to start with a light fruitiness; hints of honey and vanilla followed by a dry finish.
Non Chill-Filtered
Old Pulteney 30 Year Old 70cl 44%
Tasting Notes:
Aged for 30 years, this expression features single malt whisky matured in ex-bourbon (American oak) wood. It is neither coloured nor chill-filtered.
Colour: A bright gold with a copper glow.
Nose: Full and sweet with floral overtones, complex mix of gooseberry, citrus and lemons. Woody with a hint of chocolate.
Palate: Full-bodied single malt with elements of honey and lemons. Oaky and aromatic with a warm spiciness and a sweet long-lasting finish.
A big thank you to the Old Pulteney's own web site, www.OldPulteney.com for a lot of the information and images on this page. For more information click on the link above.
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