Old Pulteney Navigator

Toujours plaisant de goûter une bouteille d’Old Pulteney. Odeur de pommes, vanille et de fruits (?). Bon scotch mais moins uniquement salé et marin que le 12 ans. Très sucré avec une fin moyennement longue. On sent l’influence des fûts de bourbon. Difficile de dire que ça vient de cette distillerie dans une dégustation à l’aveugle, tellement il n’est pas salin. Entre les deux, je préfère le 12 ans. Bouteille ouverte en 2022-08.

This is distilled in copper pots like Irish whiskey, and it tastes similar. I believe the pots impart a smidgen of copper/mineral taste. A splash of well water made it foggy in a snifter (if that's the right word). Very light on peat, slightly sweet and spicy but not anything like a rye bite; strong alcohol overtone, salt, medicinal. This is a 46% ABV expression. A solid, good-tasting low-mid-priced scotch.

Old Pulteney 12 is one of my favorite 12 year old malts. Doing a side-by-side tasting of the 12 and The navigator it is quite obvious that they have the same parentage. Both exhibit rich malt apple pie crust flavor, a little fruitiness, and a touch of seaside salinity. The Navigator is a NAS, though clearly not young, is a higher proof than the 12 and also has some sherry finish barrels in the mix. This is NOT a sherry bomb, but the sherry fruitiness is clearly there. The finish is medium long shows off fruit and a little peppery astringency. This is another delicious malt from Old Pulteney. If I had to choose only one, it would be the 12. For my taste it is the more balanced of the two---but I would miss The Navigator for it is both delicious and just enough different from the 12.

For a 46%abv malt, this is a rather simple dram. The bottle is very beautiful but what's inside is what matters. Easy drinkable and fairly decent, this is not a bad dram, but nothing to lose your sleep either. Bottled at 46% abv, amber color. On the nose, honey and toffee, very fresh. Pear is also present. Sweet aroma. On the palate, honey, corn flakes (honey corn flakes), sugar, slight wood flavor like cork. Aftertaste is interesting, chilli is the spice here, not unpleasant. Overall this is a fair dram. 78 over 100 can be a decent score for it.