Old Pulteney 12 Year Old

Tasting Note

Banana and sweet citrus fruit notes alongside a faint whiff of brine. A winner at the World Whisky Awards 2010 and a perennial favourite.

Producer

The distillery was established in 1826 in the name of Sir William Pulteney (who died in 1805), and after whom Pulteneytown is named. The distillery was the most northerly on the Scottish mainland (the honour has been usurped by Wolfburn Distillery near Thurso) and was quite inaccessible, except by sea, when established. Barley was brought in by sea, and the whisky was shipped out the same way. Many of the distillery workers were also employed as fishermen. The herring fishing industry is no longer part of daily life in Wick but the distillery continues to operate, producing a Highland single malt with a reputation as one of the finest available. Characteristics of the whisky are attributed to exposure to sea air during maturation.

The distillery closed in 1930 due to declining trade after the local parish enforced prohibition laws but re-opened in 1951 when the vote was rescinded after the law was abolished.