Old Pulteney 12 Year

Recently, some friends came over for the evening and one of them brought a bottle of Old Pulteney 12 yr. I’m not sure why he chose this whisky, but my guess was price (349 SEK, about $42 USD). I told him it I thought it was a good choice. So many people jump into something and buy all the expensive paraphernalia and then decide they don’t like the “whateveritis” and quit. So, I thought Old Pulteney was a good idea on his part, even if he just bought it because of the price. Also, he owns an old Swedish wood fishing boat, so I’m guessing that also came into play, considering the label. Whatever his reason, I’m glad he brought it because it was also new to me. The nose was not complex but nice, with pitted fruits, a floral bouquet, vanilla and a bit of orange zest. I expected some saltiness but at least that night it didn’t appear. The palette opened with a hint of sultanas, walnuts and vanilla covered bread dough, with an undertone of oak. Sweet, but not overpowering. I also tasted a bit of honey dipped orange. There was very little burn and the finish was not long but sweet, with vanilla shining through. This was easy to drink, as the empty bottle bore witness (There were four of us). The owner declared it a success and I agree. This does seem like a good whisky to start with when you are a beginner. It is the proverbial bicycle with training wheels. I promise to only do this once. My wife and I have gone crazy and are trying to start a whiskey (Yes, rye and corn based) distillery in Sweden. Here is our GoFundMe site: https://www.gofundme.com/angarna-destilleri