Nose: Honey, honeysuckle, jasmine, malt extract, sea breeze, toasted cereal, vanilla. Fresh, crisp and uplifting but with considerable depth. An astonishingly good nose for a 13 year old whisky. Palate: A sweet/salt arrival, slightly tangy but soft and centered on cereal and honey. The development displays a tiny hint of smoke and some subtle, warm spice. The balance is wonderful with no one flavour dominating the profile but all the components being focused and distinct. Creamy vanilla, milk chocolate, some sweet orange and just a sprinkle of black pepper towards the finish. The texture is silk and velvet. Finish: Long. Sweet/brine citrus fruit, honey, cereal and berries with the lightest touch of oak in the aftertaste. What an enjoyable dram, and what a testament to simple first-fill bourbon maturation! This was the 5th tasting I had at the Whisky Show and the first that really put a smile on my face. I’ve been a fan of Old Pulteney for a long time – their signature honey and brine profile with its simultaneous sweet and dry character has appealed to me since the moment I first tasted it. The 12 year old was a standby session whisky for me for a long time, and in the recent past they reached two high points with their now legendary 17 and 21 year old expressions, both of which would easily be included in my top 50 whiskies, if I had such a list. Sadly, when the brand was overhauled a few years ago the new range seemed to lose something. While the new expressions are enjoyable they do not have the magic of former times, and although I’ve tasted the whole new core range three times now at events I had not bought any Old Pulteney since 2018. Consequently, I’m delighted to be able to say that this single bourbon-cask (#1451) that was imported to Australia and bottled by the Barrel & Batch Whisky Co-Op is an absolute stunner. It has the depth, complexity and freshness of the old range, and approaches the old 17 year in quality. Just 258 bottles, at the show this was available for $175 but the standard price (exclusively online from Barrel & Batch) is now $199 … and it is worth it. Tasting #5 at the Sydney Whisky Show, 15 May 2021. “Very Good” : 87/100 (4.25 stars)