Old Pulteney 17 Year

Salty, briny with floral and fruit notes

While a lot of Highland distilleries could be mistaken for one another, there is something quite distinct about this one. I immediately noticed a pretty distinct sherry note when I first poured it.  If there's a region I'd imagine when drinking this scotch, it's Ko Sumai -- both in scent and taste, I detect a tropical fruit sweetness, Chinese plums, coconut, lemongrass, and a floral penumbra.  The palate also has a fresh wood aspect to it, is a bit tannic (I get that signature waxy feeling on my front teeth with a sip of water after this dram), and a saltwater brininess that is another Old Pulteney signature.  The finish is warming and has some of the smokier, chocolate-like notes that sherry finishing sometimes adds, while still layering in those tart and exotic tropical fruit notes.  This is a high-end scotch, though I'm sad to hear that the distillery is discontinuing this expression and the 21-year old version due to lack of stocks.  I can't think of anything quite like it.  I must find the 21-year old before it's gone as well!

Nose - Salted vanilla butterscotch, hints of ultra sweet golden raisins, faint hint of grilled pineapples? Taste - Creamy yet dry mouthfeel, black & white pepper spice mingle with a fruity vanilla cream, tiny hint of lightly bitter oak aged pear/apple cider. Finish - Lingering pepper spice, long lasting lightly bitter oak aged pear/apple cider sweetness Score - 87/100 Final Thoughts - So the nose on this was amazing, but I think it fell a bit flat once it hit the tongue. I was hoping for more of that salted butterscotch flavor, but I didn't get much of that as it was a bit hidden by the pepper spice and lightly bitter oak aged cider I got. Finish was pleasant but I think I was still hoping to get more of the salted butterscotch I got on the nose. Decent dram but I think I could find ones I enjoy a bit more for the price. Slightly edges out the 12 due to a more interesting nose.