Old Pulteney unveiled a new core range in August 2018. The acclaimed 17 Year Old and 21 Year Old expressions were phased out and this is now the entire line-up:
- Old Pulteney 12 Years (40%, ex-bourbon)
- Old Pulteney Huddart (46%, ex-bourbon and some heavily peated casks)
- Old Pulteney 15 Years (46%, ex-bourbon and ex-sherry)
- Old Pulteney 18 Years (46%, ex-bourbon and ex-sherry)
Although the recipe of the 12 year-old remained the same after the make-over, I hadn’t formally reviewed it since 2012 so it was time for an update. Matured in bourbon casks, predominantly refill.
Old Pulteney 12 yo ‘The Maritime Malt’ (40%, OB 2018)
Old Pulteney 12 yo ‘The Maritime Malt’ (40%, OB 2018)Nose: fresh as a daisy, a bit of an all-round crowd pleaser. Fruity notes (pear, lemon, peach and grapefruit) with light vanilla and hints of sawdust. Subtle floral notes and cookie dough. A light maritime edge indeed. Fresher than I remembered it, an improvement.
Mouth: slightly sweeter and creamier than expected, still very fruity (peaches, citrus) with honey and a nice waxy / lemony coastal side. Then toffee and a bit of peppery wood, as well as some almonds.
Finish: medium, on toffee, a lemon and salt combo and baking spice.
A nice entry-level whisky from a nice distillery. A step up from last time in my opinion (though not necessarily related to the work on the new range). Quite cheap and good value for money. Available from The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt for instance.
Score: 82/100