Old Pulteney 18 Years Old

This Old Pulteney, an official release, at 18 year old, and bottled at 46%. Pulteney, dating to 1826 in the fishing town of Wick, Caithness, it has been the maritime malt of Caithness ever since. The distillery closed in 1930 when Wick went dry, and reopened only in 1951.

Distilled on Loch Hempriggs water in stills whose shape has not changed since the 1820s, the make was then laid down by the sea for its briny, honeyed style. An Oloroso sherry cask wrapped the malt in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Beyond eighteen years the malt grows deep and oily, honey turning to dried fruit over soft brine. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the honeyed, waxy core over time. Sea air works into the warehouses, a saline thread that marks the house style. For decades this was the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland.

At an approachable 46% it is balanced. The Oloroso brings salted dried fruit, fig and walnut, and a briny, oily edge sit alongside a touch of oak sweetness underneath. It is clean and bright, the coastal salt lifting the honey. A waxy, coastal finish lingers long. This is the salty, honeyed signature of Wick.