Old Pulteney 1995 (G&M)

This is an Old Pulteney single malt, chosen and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail matured to 12 year old, from 1995, drawn from cask 1502 and bottled at 45%. Established in 1826 at Wick, on the windswept northeast coast, Pulteney is the maritime malt of the far north. For years it was the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland.

It was run through the unusual stills, the wash still topped flat where the swan neck was cut, before resting in warehouses within sight of the harbour. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the maritime malt to the fore. Past a decade the honey and wax build, knitting with the coastal salt. Time in oak builds a honeyed weight over the fresh, briny new make. Sir William Pulteney gave his name to the planned town that grew around the harbour. The spirit carries an oily weight unusual among Highland malts. Wick's herring fleet once numbered in the thousands at the height of the boom.

At an easy 45% it is gentle. A gentle vanilla and coconut from the wood runs under a coastal salinity. Soft brine and orchard fruit sit behind the sweetness. A waxy, coastal finish lingers long. This is a briny, oily dram from the North Sea coast.