
November 27, 2020

Little duos, today Pulteney

We’re trying more Pulteney these days. Yes, that’s a very good point, perhaps because there’s more Pulteney around…

Pulteney 12 yo 2008/2020 (43%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist Collective, sherry butt recask, 1860 bottles)
43% vol.? Welcome back to the good old days! This is a vatting of too butts, quite probably re-racking . Or finishing. Or double-maturation. Colour: gold. Nose: oh LOL, tangerine liqueur and verbena! That’s really nice, you’d really believe you’re nosing a well-assembled liqueur. Curaçao, parfait amour, mandarine impériale, even rose liqueur, Turkish delights… Lots of fun here, which was more than needed anyway. Also honeysuckle and green walnuts coming out, you’d almost believe you’re nosing a copita of La Gitana on the shores of the Guadalquivir. Please pass the langoustines! Mouth: ho-ho-ho, but what is this? Same notes of citrusy liqueurs as on the nose, then those green walnuts. Was one of the butts ex-fino? Both? Really intriguing, and very good. In this context, the 43% vol. do make a lot of sense, given that one may quaff this down as if it was wine. Right, fino on the shores of the Guadalquivir, etc, etc, etc. Finish: not too long, but with added waxes that push it towards new heights. Lovely. Comments: wasn’t one of the casks rather a Clynelish? Anyway, great composition, kudos to whomever is responsible for this partially abstract work.
SGP:462- 89 points.

Old Pulteney 2006/2019 (51.4%, OB, The W Club Exclusive, cask #1448, 276 bottles)

The W Club is the Whisky Shop’s consumer club. Makes sense. Colour: white wine. Nose: pretty perfect. No oak in the way, not boisterous vanilla, rather subtle coastal tones, sea air, citrus, honeysuckle, oysters, muscadet (no muscat)… I find it superbly fresh, subtle and just lifting, With water: some would call this ‘Atlantic freshness’ but I believe this is rather the North sea. Anyway, you get the idea, oysters, shrimps, lemon and seaweed. And perhaps a bottle of Champagne blanc de blanc from a not-too-fat vintage. Mouth (neat): lemon, oyster juice, white pepper, citrons and tangerines, and a wee paraffiny side that hints at that other coastal distillery just south of Wick. A lovely drive by the way. With water: this really is the way, Pulteney. Clean, fresh, coastal, with more salt than at C., but a little less wax as well. They may now have a true regional style in the north of Glenmo. Granny smith and a little vanilla. Finish: medium, a little liqueury, perhaps a tad simplistic now, but really very good. Who cares for complications! Even in the watch industry! Comments: superb. They’ve clearly upped their game in Wick, even the wee touches of glue (or tequila ;-)) here and there have become assets.
SGP:461 - 89 points.

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