Old Pulteney

by **Simplicio** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:21 am

I recently tried Old Pulteney 12, and was shocked to find that I liked it so much (I had thought I only liked peat monsters). It's nothing like the other 'North Highland' malts I've tried (Clynelish, Dalmore). My question is: Is there anything else like O.P., or is it really a singular whisky?

by **Scotchio** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:56 pm

I tried the Pulteney 12 and enjoyed it. I would put it's flavour profile somewhere between Bunnahabhain and Glenmorangie. G10 has a similar weight less salty tang but more spice. bunny is a little heavier but definitely has the ozone and nuttiness, the weight comes from a sherry element. Laddie is another great coastal whisky very classy some saltiness and beautiful fruit with a touch of peat sometimes. Enjoy your explorations peaty Islays are great but there's more to life than peat.

by **kallaskander** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:11 pm

Hi there,

try Royal Brackla, Glen Ord, Glen Mhor, Glen Albyn, Millburn, Brora. There is a lot of good whisky up there in the North besides the soft an mellow Glenmorangie. But I am not objective, I love the Northern Highland malts.

Greetings
kallaskander

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:35 pm

I'm glad to hear of another convert to Highland whiskies!

In my experience, there is nothing quite the same as the Pulteney 12 - certainly not the Pulteney 17 which is much sweeter. The distinctive varnishy notes can be a little similar to some of the notes in Mortlach and, to a lesser extent perhaps, Glen Garioch, Imperial and Glenglassaugh. People talk about the coastal saltiness of Pulteney 12 but this is not, IMO, what makes it so distinctive. Perhaps I'm just not good at picking salty flavours.

by **robs42** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 2:52 pm

I'm a great fan of OP - I even made the trek up to Wick to get the CS version they only sell at the distillery. I promise you, nothing really gets that close to Old Pulteney's citrus and nutty flavours - and definately none of the other N.Highlands whiskys. The closest is probably Scapa, but I'd suggest trying their other bottlings if you want similar; IMHO the 17yo is great and your tastebuds will love you forever if you can get a hold of the distillery only CS bottling.

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:26 pm

Don't get me wrong, I love the Pulteney 17. I just wanted to warn against imagining it was like an older version of the 12, because it isn't. I am a big fan of the whiskies Kallaskander nominated, but I'm not sure they have that much in common with the Pulteney 12 core characteristics.

I hope to get up to Wick during the summer.

by **Simplicio** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:43 pm

Wick is kind of far away from here ... but then again, so is everything! I guess I'll have to make do with the 40%, unless someone wants to trade for some baijiu (which really tastes like varnish, or perhaps turpentine!)

I wouldn't describe the finish as salty, but perhaps slightly bitter and herbal, indeed even hoppy. There is indeed something aleish about it.

by **BruceCrichton** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 6:42 pm

Try Scapa at 12 or 14 for a slightly salty dram, though Scapa 12 is quite bourbony.

by **patrick dicaprio** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:10 am

i have only tried it at a tasting. according to my "notes" (more like scribblings that are unintelligible) i liked it a lot. it seems like a lot of people here like it so i will have to go get a bottle now.

Pat

by **jimidrammer** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:19 pm

I would place Old Pulteney 12 in the same category as Oban 14. The similar saltiness, less smokiness, seemed familiar. Also agree about the Scapa 12 similarities, i think I liked Scapa better. Need to revisit that one. I've been hoping the OP12 salt would tame down a bit, but with the bottle open now for 228 days it still has a brittle harshness that doesn't really... went and poured a small taste just to confirm; does nose similar to Glenmorangie 10, and the taste starts off fine, but that salty (slightly aspirin) finish just grows clingy. A good malt to explore, in fact I have another bottle waiting and maybe it will be of a different beast altogether.

by **Deactivated Member** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 6:17 pm

The last Oban 14 I had tasted of pears and was an elegant and clean Highland malt. Not smoky, not spicy and not salty. Rather different to how I remembered it of old. In this guise, I wouldn't put it in the same category as Pulteney 12, but perhaps the Oban of old might have been - can't remember well enough.

by **Deactivated Member** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 2:45 pm

Old Pultney 12 have is a regular in my cabinet. A few years ago Royal Mile Whiskies reckoned it was their best selling SMW. I tasted a sample there and instantly hooked.
It is a bit like Scapa 14, but still has its own clear identity.
recently purchased a bottle of 17yo but will wait 'til a few other bottles have been finished before opening it. Jim Murray seems to rate it highly.

by **Lawrence** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:10 pm

I really like the 12 and had a dram Friday night at a mini festival out of town, I will have to pick up a bottle for home. Everytime I pour it for people they are quite shocked at how good it is.