Old Pulteney 12 Year

Very interesting one. Nose is somewhat smoky or something like sea air, while the palate is like a rollercoaster of several (and wonderful) tastes of all kinds - fruity, smoky, herbal and exotic. I definitely need to have some extra with Old Pultenty :)

If I had to pick a house whisky - my best meeting place of quality and value - this would probably get the nod. Maybe it's because I grew up in a briny, fishy, coastal kinda town, but I'm a sucker for the maritime character of the Old Pulteney malt. Oily like a herring or mackerel, this oozes salt air, fresh lemon and lemon zest, vanilla, and something fruity - someone once said persimmon, and it's the best I can come up with. This one coats the palate well, with vanilla,toffee, and even dark chocolate liberally sprinkled with sea salt and a nice squeeze of lemon to brighten it all up. Unctuous, it stays on the palate for a long while, a sweet and savory melding of flavors with a hint of pipe tobacco. I'm not a big believer in desert island this-and-thats, but you could do a lot worse than be stuck with this forever as your whisky option. For $40, too, you can't go wrong - a true classic and a value at this price point.