Old Pulteney Pentland Skerries

An official Old Pulteney single malt and bottled at 46%. Established in 1826 at Wick, on the windswept northeast coast, Pulteney is the maritime malt of the far north. Robert Cumming brought the distillery back to life in 1951 after two decades silent.

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. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding only a light honeyed sweetness. Without an age statement, the malt feels well aged and softly maritime. Sea air works through the warehouse, lending a saline thread as the whisky breathes by the shore. It is one of the last true urban distilleries, set among the streets of Pulteneytown. Inver House has built its single malt range around the distillery since 1995. The honeyed, waxy core is the signature of the maritime malt of the far north.

At 46% it is soft, waxy and coastal. A gentle vanilla and coconut from the wood, with sea salt and a coastal tang. The mouthfeel is oily, the honey carried on a waxy body. The finish runs oily, saline and warm. This is a honeyed coastal malt from Caithness.